Ludhiana, Feb 18: Excise officials dismantled a sophisticated bootlegging operation in Ludhiana on Tuesday after catching a suspect refilling empty premium liquor bottles with low-quality spirits. The joint operation, involving the Excise and Taxation Department and Moti Nagar police, led to the seizure of dozens of altered bottles from a hotel parking lot and a private residence.
The investigation began when teams led by Excise Inspectors Amandeep Singh, Navdeep Singh, and Amit Goyal intercepted Lovelesh Verma at the Hotel Regal Blu on Chandigarh Road. Authorities stated that the suspect was caught in the act of transferring inexpensive Indian Made Foreign Liquor into branded containers intended for the luxury market.
During the subsequent interrogation, Verma disclosed the location of a storage site at his home in the Kundan Puri area of Civil Lines. A follow-up search of the premises revealed 80 empty bottles from prestigious brands and 51 already refilled units, including labels such as Glenfiddich, Macallan, and Chivas Regal.
“The enforcement activities are in full swing to curb the menace of illicit liquor, spurious liquor, and illegal smuggled liquor both inter and intrastate,” affirmed Excise and Taxation Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal. He maintained that the department holds a zero-tolerance policy regarding such unethical practices.
Officers noted that the scheme relied on sourcing authentic empty bottles, filling them with inferior products, and using specialized caps to reseal them for illegal resale. A formal complaint has been filed at the Moti Nagar Police Station while investigators work to track the distribution network.
