Illegal liquor smuggling continues unabated in Chandigarh, with frequent changes in the collector posted in the Excise Department every two months. Despite the Chandigarh Administration entrusting the responsibility to the Director of the Education Department to curb illegal liquor smuggling, the situation remains unchanged. The Operation Cell team of Chandigarh Police seized illegal liquor worth approximately Rs 80 lakh on Sunday and arrested four individuals involved in the smuggling operation.
The arrested individuals are identified as Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Raipur Kalan, Mohali (liquor contractor); Karambir Singh, a resident of Berka, Badshahpur, Gurgaon, Haryana (liquor contractor); Naveen, a resident of Panchampurwa, Colonelganj, Gon; and Sant Prakash, a resident of Saraya, Paraspur, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh (loaded tempo helper). The police recovered a total of 640 cases of English liquor/wine and 2468 cases of beer.
DSP Operation Cell Jasbir Singh and in-charge, Operation Cell Inspector Sher Singh provided details of the operation, stating that the police received secret information about illegal liquor being transported in a tempo. The Operation Cell team conducted a planned raid in Sector 22/C, Chandigarh, seizing the loaded tempo and illegal liquor. A case was registered under the Excise Act at Police Station 17, Chandigarh, and the liquor and the tempo used for transportation were seized.
Additionally, the Excise Department team recovered 284 bottles worth Rs 6 lakh during routine checking behind the liquor vend in Sector 31, Chandigarh. The pickup carrying 54 cases of liquor (38 cases of beer, 16 cases of whiskey) worth about Rs 2 lakh without a pass/permit was detained. In another case, the team seized a shop in Sector 28-D without a hologram, recovering 234 bottles of Grant Whiskey, 29 bottles of Red Label Whiskey, 13 bottles of Jameson Whiskey, 6 bottles of Ballantine Whiskey, 2 bottles of Ketel One Vodka, and 12 bottles of Jack Daniels (JD), totaling 284 bottles.
The seized liquor has been deposited in the excise warehouse, and appropriate legal action has been taken against the individuals involved in the smuggling operation.