After the HT report on the sale of imported beer brands with expired dates by dealers in the city, the sleuths of the Excise and Taxation Department on Wednesday raided wholesale liquor godowns and recovered large quantities of the beverage.
In one incident, officials also stopped a
consignment of 1,500 cases which was ready to be delivered at an unknown destination. The officials also claimed that they have seized large stocks of other brands with expired dates.
As news about the raids spread, liquor vend operators removed ‘contraband’ products from their shelves to avoid penal action. The officials said the raids will continue on Thursday also. There are 166 Indian-made foreign liquor vends in the city.
According to the officials, they are yet to take possession of the stocks.
They said they would destroy the seized products in the presence of senior officers when they visit the city.
Anil Kadyan, the deputy commissioner of the department, Gurgaon, said his teams on Wednesday had raided godowns of many brands, including that of Carlsberg, to take stock of the quantum of outdated stocks.
“We found thousands of beer bottles and cans, including those of popular brands, with expired dates in our raid. We would be able to announce the exact quantum of the stocks only later,” he added.
According to sources, the raid yielded 1,800 bottles of beer at Carlsberg godown in Sector 5.
“We have recorded the batch numbers and quantity of beer bottles and cans with expired dates and directed the company authorities not to sell the same in the market till further orders. We have the power to seize such products in the larger interest of consumers. We would destroy the seized items on the directions of the controller of Excise and Taxation Department,” Kadyan said.