Excise Department cracks down on liquor racket in Ludhiana East

The Punjab Excise Department has busted two illicit liquor operations in Ludhiana East, exposing a premium liquor refilling racket and recovering smuggled Punjab Medium Liquor (PML) bottles. 

The raids were conducted by the Ludhiana East Range team, acting on specific intelligence inputs. The crackdown was carried out under the guidance of Excise Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, and direct supervision from DCX Patiala Zone Tarsem Chand, ACX Ludhiana East Dr Shivani Gupta, and Excise Officers Ashok Kumar and Amit Goyal.

Case 1: Premium liquor refilling racket busted

In the first raid, a sophisticated refilling racket was unearthed, where empty bottles of premium imported liquor were being refilled with low-grade Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and Punjab Medium Liquor (PML) brands. The accused, Amit Vij and Pankaj Saini, were arrested on the spot.

The team seized 106 empty bottles used for refilling, 39 premium liquor bottles, including brands like Glenlivet, Chivas Regal, Johnnie Walker Gold Label, and Hendrick’s Gin, bottling accessories and refilling material.

A Swift Dzire car used in the operation was impounded.

An FIR has been registered at Police Station Division No 3, Ludhiana.

Investigations are underway to trace the supply chain and distribution network.

Case 2: Illicit liquor seized in village Burma

In a separate raid at village Burma (Samrala), the Excise team apprehended Vikramjeet Singh for possession of 60 bottles of illicit liquor labelled ‘For Sale in Chandigarh only,’ indicating illegal smuggling into Punjab.

The recovered stock includes 24 bottles of PML Marka Santra and 36 bottles of PML Marka Dilber Saunfia.

A case has been registered at Samrala Police Station under the Punjab Excise Act, 1914.

The Excise Department reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling illegal liquor networks and protecting public health. Officials emphasised that coordinated raids, surprise checks, and inter-state enforcement actions will continue as part of the state’s intensified crackdown on illegal liquor activities.