Surprise checks at highway dhabas and other vulnerable points

Surprise checks at highway dhabas and other vulnerable points

117 cases registered cases under the Excise Act in seven months, 131 accused arrested

Seizure of illicit spirit/ENA to the tune of 72,700 litres

Nabaz-e-Punjab Bureau, SAS Nagar, August 8:
In order to keep a close vigil over the illegal activities relating to pilferage of E.N.A/spirit from the tankers, the Mohali Excise team has initiated a drive to apprehend such illegal activities, informed Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan.
The joint teams of Excise and Police department are making surprise checks at vulnerable points. In fact, checking of dhabas in the areas of Banur, Zirakpur and Derabassi has been increased as such illegal activities have been reported more often in these areas in the past.
“Mohali has a unique position as it borders Chandigarh and Haryana. Liquor is comparatively cheaper in UT and Haryana. So, manufacturing of illicit liquor or lahan is not the main problem in the district but smuggling, pilferage of illicit spirit and Extra Neutral Alcohol (E.N.A.) the primary raw material for making alcoholic beverages, is a menace that needs to be curbed,” said Dayalan
“We have had a meeting with owners of distilleries and bottling plants and have directed them to follow the excise laws, failing which sternest of action will be taken,” said Dayalan.
Each dhaba and other vulnerable places where ENA can be sold are being checked regularly by special joint squads of excise and police department.
The teams have managed to recover large quantity of E.N.A. and have succeeded in arresting some of the major players in the past, he informed.
As many as 117 cases have been registered under Excise Act and 131 accused have been arrested in seven months, informed Dayalan.
The seizure of illicit spirit/ENA to the tune of 72,700 litres has been made in the span of less 12 months.
Pertinently, Mohali Excise Department detected a big catch of 5500 litres of Spirit/E.N.A. in Village Devi Nagar, Derabassi in July. In this case, one major operator Rajesh Kumar @ Bobby along with his two accomplices was nabbed for possessing such large quantity of E.N.A/Spirit without any license.
Earlier in May, a history sheeter liquor smuggler was caught and more than 50,000 litres of ENA was seized from two tankers parked in Zirakpur. The content was being transferred from the tankers to plastic drums when the team raided them. Lead was from Kumar Vaishnu Dhaba and Recovery was made at Guru Nanak Dharam Kanda, Zirakpur.
Similarly, 15 Drums of ENA (3000 Ltrs) were seized from Apna Dhaba in April.
71 Drums of ENA (14200 Litres of ENA) with Lead from Patiala Dhaba, Green Vaishnu Dhaba and Jhilmil Dhaba in August last year at Banur.
Also, in a joint raid conducted by Mohali Excise and Police in July at a house in village Kheri, Tehsil.Dera Bassi,119 bottles of country liquor for sale in Haryana, 95 empty plastic bottles, around 31000 duplicate holograms, 900 caps of Royal Stag, 800 caps of PML and 415 labels of Chadha Sugars, Kiri Afgana, one pressure pump were found and FIR was registered.