Fake scotch racket busted, junk dealer supplied empty bottles

A day after the city police and Excise Department in a joint operation busted an illicit liquor racket, exposing a premium liquor refilling gang and seizing smuggled PML bottles, police investigation found a junk dealer had been supplying empty liquor bottles to them.

Authorities suspect this can be an organised fraud. Criminals weren’t just selling illegal liquor; they were bottling and selling fake scotch at premium prices. Notably, the gang was resorting to a sophisticated act where empty bottles of premium liquor were being refilled with low-grade IMFL and PML brands. Two suspects, Amit Vij and Pankaj Saini, were arrested. During the raid, 106 empty bottles used for refilling 39 premium liquor brands, including Glenlivet, Chivas Regal, Johnnie Walker Gold Label, Hendrick’s Gin, bottling accessories and refilling material were seized from the gang.

Additional DCP Crime Amandeep Singh Brar told The Tribune during questioning, police found a junk dealer had been providing empty bottles to the gang for refilling with low grade liquor. Now police got to know about the junk dealer and police raids were being conducted to nab him. Once junk dealer is arrested, police will get to know the source from where junk dealer was getting empty bottles.When asked if any liquor contactor was in touch with the gang to whom refilled bottles might have been supplied for further sale at wine shop, ADCP Brar replied that so far role of any wine contractor was not found behind the racket but police investigation to unearth the entire racket was still on.

ADCP said accused Amit Vij was earlier doing business of t-shirts manufacturing and after he suffered losses, he stated this illegal trade of refilling.Notably in March this year, Excise department had busted a similar racket involving refilling of empty bottles of premium brands with cheap liquor. The raid had then uncovered a shocking operation where high-end Scotch bottles, including Chivas Regal, Glen Livet, Dewar’s, Jim Beam, 100 Pipers and Johnnie Walker Black Label, were found to be refilled with cheap brands and country liquor. These bottles were then resold at premium prices to unsuspecting buyers. Officials also discovered a stockpile of empty branded bottles, duplicate packaging materials, loose caps and a large quantity of cheap liquor, which was being used to refill the premium bottles.