In a significant crackdown, officers of Ludhiana East Range under the able guidance of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Additional Chief Secretary Vikas Pratap, Excise Commissioner Varun Roojam and Additional Commissioner (Excise) Naresh Dubey, has seized a massive cache of illegal liquor and uncovered a major scam involving the refilling of high-end Scotch brands with cheap liquor.
Acting on a tip-off, Excise Inspectors and police under the direct supervision of Dr. shivani Gupta, Assistant Commissioner Excise, Ludhiana East Range, and Amit Goyal , Ashok Kumar Excise Officers a location at Jaspal Bangar, Lohara, Kanganwal and recovered a large number of empty liquor bottles of premium brands like Chivas Regal, Glenlivet, Dewar’s, Jim Beam, 100 Pipers and Johnnie Walker Black Label etc. Shockingly, it was found that these premium bottles were being refilled with cheap brands and country liquor and then resold at high prices to unsuspecting buyers.
Officials discovered a stockpile of empty branded bottles, loose caps and a large quantity of cheap brands and country liquor without track and trace used for refilling.This illegal operation is believed to be part of a larger network aimed at deceiving customers and evading excise duties.
A senior Excise Department official stated, "This is not just an illegal liquor haul but a well-organized fraud where fake Scotch was being sold at premium rates. We are investigating the entire supply chain and will take strict action against those involved."
The department has launched further investigations to identify the key players behind this racket. Authorities have urged citizens to purchase liquor only from authorized vendors and report any suspicious activities related to counterfeit alcohol.