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Ludhiana, Sep 06: In a major crackdown on the illegal liquor trade, the Punjab Excise department conducted two major enforcement operations in the Ludhiana East Range, leading to the unearthing of a premium liquor refilling racket and the seizure of a substantial consignment of illicit alcohol, including liquor smuggled into the state.
In a statement, Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the operations were executed swiftly based on specific intelligence inputs and under the direct supervision of Excise and Taxation Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, along with other senior departmental officers.
He added that our teams acted with precision to not only seize illegal stock but also to expose a new modus operandi where criminals are endangering public health by refilling premium bottles with low-quality liquor.
In the first raid, enforcement teams, in coordination with local police, dismantled a sophisticated racket operating in Ludhiana. The accused were found refilling high-end imported liquor bottles brands including Glenlivet, Johnnie Walker Gold Label, and Chivas Regal with cheaper Indian Made Foreign Liquor and Punjab Medium Liquor, with the intent to deceive consumers and evade excise duties.
Two individuals, Amit Vij and Pankaj Saini, were apprehended at the scene & recovered 106 empty bottles, 39 refilled bottles, various bottling accessories, and seized a Swift Dzire vehicle.
An FIR has been registered at division number 3 police station Ludhiana, and investigations are ongoing to trace the full extent of the network.
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