Foreign beer, liquor smuggling racket unearthed, 2 arrested in Zirakpur

Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 30

With the arrest of two persons, the police and the Excise Department today claimed to have busted an organised module of international beer and liquor smuggling racket in the district. As many as 201 cartons of imported liquor and 1,400 cartons of imported beer have been seized.

The suspects have been identified as Vishawajeet Singh Dhindsa and Sumo.

Divulging details, Naresh Dubey, Joint Excise Commissioner, Punjab, said they had received secret information that some persons were involved in smuggling bottled-in-origin (BIO) brands and imported liquor into Punjab evading excise duty and other levies, which caused a huge loss to the state exchequer. He said acting on the tip-off, joint teams of the Excise Department and the Mohali police were formed under DSP Bikramjeet Brar and excise officer Sarupinder Singh.

On the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, the teams got a tip-off that a consignment of illegal liquor was being brought in a Mahindra pick-up, which was coming towards the Zirakpur area. The pick-up was being escorted by Vishawajeet Singh in Mahindra Scorpio.

Nakas were laid in Zirakpur where both vehicles were stopped and the two suspects apprehended. On checking, the pick-up was found laden with 201 cases of imported liquor for which the suspects could not produce any valid document.

Further investigation led to the recovery of 1,400 cases of illegally smuggled liquor brands such as Senior Boke and Moller, which were illegally hidden at various hideouts of the suspects and godowns in the Lalru and Khizrabad areas of Mohali district.

A case under Sections 61-1-14 of the Excise Act and Sections 420, 468 and 120-B of the IPC was registered at the Zirakpur police station.

Supervising the operation, “Red Rose”, Rajat Agarwal, Excise Commissioner, Punjab, said the two suspects disclosed that they used to import liquor and beer from Spain and Romania and further distribute it in Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Telangana and Karnataka.

Operation ‘Red Rose’

While supervising the operation “Red Rose”, Rajat Agarwal, Excise Commissioner, Punjab, said during the preliminary investigation, the two suspects disclosed that they used to import liquor and beer from Spain and Romania and further distribute it in Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Telangana and Karnataka. He said the entire chain of forward and backward linkages was being pursued expeditiously. If any liquor contractor was found involved in this racket, strict action would be initiated against him, the official said.

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