In a crackdown against illicit liquor trading and smuggling in Punjab, the Excise Department on Sunday seized 27600 litres of chemicals containing spirit. It is so far the biggest haul of such nature by the department.
Joint Commissioner of Excise department Naresh Dubey led the raid at three places in Mohali’s Dera Bassi area. Bikram Brar, DSP also joined the raiding team.
As the unfortunate hooch tragedy claimed 113 lives, the Punjab government has intensified the statewide raids to crackdown the manufacturing of illicit liquor.
Giving details, a spokesperson of the Excise & Taxation department said, “A special team from Mohali seized a heavy quantity of 27,600 litres of chemical containing spirit. It was stored in 138 drums of 200 liters capacity each. The seizure was made from the Tehsil Derabassi area in Mohali District.”
The spokesperson further revealed that 4 persons have been arrested in the case including owners of the concerned firms. The link for these firms has been traced from the earlier raid carried out by the department on 23 July almost a week before the hooch tragedy when 5,300 litres of chemicals and spirits were recovered.
The spokesperson added that during the interrogation, the accused revealed that they were reducing the waste of pharmaceutical companies. However, they couldn’t clarify the products they were manufacturing and also their customers. Investigations are in progress to examine the record and to trace further links of the accused in the case.