Bottling plant found illegally manufacturing liquor for Uttarakhand

A huge cache of liquor and labels meant for sale in Uttarakhand was found at a bottling plant in Kala Amb during a raid by the enforcement wing of the Himachal Pradesh Excise and Taxation Department late Saturday night.

A seven-member team, led by Additional Commissioner (Enforcement) Ujjal Singh Rana, raided Tiolksons Brewery and Distillery around 2 am following a tip-off.

Officials were shocked to find liquor being manufactured by 20 unauthorised persons for illicit distribution in neighbouring Uttarakhand. In a bid to conceal the operation, the plant had been locked from the outside.

During the raid, the team found a substantial stock of liquor, Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA)—a key ingredient used in liquor production—and lakhs of labels for various brands, suggesting that the illegal activity had been assumingly underway for several days.

Preliminary reports indicate the seizure of 230 cases of Royal Blue Whiskey, meant for sale in Uttarakhand.

Additionally, 2,100 excess cases of country liquor, 1,100 excess cases of Indian Made Foreign Liquor and 4,500 bulk litres excess extra neutral liquor were found at the spot.

This ENA could be used to produce unauthorised liquor worth several lakhs of rupees.