2,500 liquor cases seized after raid at Chandigarh's Daria

The Excise Department raided an illegal godown in the Daria area late Thursday night and seized 2,090 cases of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and 413 of country liquor.

The illegal warehouse, which had reportedly been rented about four months ago, was operating without any valid approval or licence from the department.

According to a complaint lodged with the Industrial Area (Phase I) police, the excise team found that the liquor stock had no valid transport passes or permits. The godown itself was not registered with the department.

There were two vehicles bearing registration numbers of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh — one parked on the premises and the other just outside the boundary wall. The barcodes on the liquor cartons had been deliberately removed, indicating an attempt to conceal the source and legality of the stock.

A forensic team collected multiple samples on Friday morning to verify the quality and legitimacy of the seized stock.

According to sources, the liquor reportedly bore the markings of four bottling units, raising suspicion of potential brand misuse or unauthorised distribution.

The police have launched an investigation to trace the origin of the liquor and to identify those behind the illegal supply chain.