In the Tri-city, foreign liquor is being sold without a license at liquor shops. Moreover, in many bars and restaurants, foreign liquor is also being served. The illegal trade of selling foreign liquor without a license is on the rise. Chandigarh’s liquor is not only being supplied to other states without a license, but now the business of selling foreign liquor has also started.
The Excise Collector has failed to stop this illegal activity. This illicit trade is costing the administration millions of rupees in GST and taxes every year.
Special raids by the Department of Excise and Taxation Before the festival of Diwali, the Department of Excise and Taxation in Chandigarh conducted raids on liquor shops that were selling foreign liquor without a license and on restaurants serving foreign liquor without a valid permit. During these raids, a total of 1795 bottles of foreign liquor from various brands such as IFL, MFL, and CL were confiscated without valid passes or permits. Cases have been registered in different police stations. During the raids, the teams found that Chandigarh’s bars, hotels, and liquor shops were also serving foreign liquor illegally.
Box Establishment of a team to prevent tax evasion and theft of excise duty To clamp down on the illegal sale of imported foreign liquor, Indian-made foreign liquor, and country liquor (IFL, MFL, and CL), a special raid team has been formed by the Department of Excise and Taxation, in collaboration with Chandigarh Police. Sharing information and regular coordination meetings, the department will continue to take strict action against any individual or entity involved in such illegal activities. Those involved in tax evasion will be held accountable under the provisions of the Excise Duty and Taxation laws.
Citizens of Chandigarh are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to the sale of alcoholic beverages to the Department of Excise and Taxation. Such cooperative efforts are essential to maintain the integrity of our liquor distribution system and further the goal of responsible drinking.