Illicit liquor racket busted, 2 nabbed

In a major breakthrough, the Excise Department of Punjab busted an illicit liquor racket in Ludhiana East, exposing a premium liquor refilling gang and seizing smuggled PML bottles.

The raid was conducted by the Ludhiana East Range team, acting on specific intelligence inputs and under the guidance of Excise Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, with direct supervision from DCX, Patiala Zone, Tarsem Chand, ACX, Ludhiana East, Shivani Gupta, and excise officials Ashok Kumar and Amit Goyal.

It uncovered a sophisticated act where empty bottles of premium imported liquor were being refilled with low-grade IMFL and PML brands. Two suspects, Amit Vij and Pankaj Saini, were arrested on the spot.

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.

A Maruti Swift Dzire vehicle was impounded and an FIR has been registered at the Division No 3 police station, here.

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

60 bottles seized at village, man held

In a separate raid at Burma village in Samrala, the excise team apprehended Vikramjeet Singh for possession of 60 bottles of illicit liquor labelled ‘For sale in Chandigarh only’, indicating smuggling into the state.

A case has been registered at the 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 would continue as part of the state’s intensified crackdown.