The state tax and excise department has seized 8 lakh milliliters of illegal English and country liquor being smuggled in the state in the last few days in Kullu, Mandi, Baddi, Solan and Nurpur districts, said excise commissioner Yunus on Saturday.
The teams, under Nurpur police, conducted joint raids in Ulehariyan Khanpur, Basantpur, Gagwal, Barota and Thakurdwara, and destroyed and seized 30,000 litres of lahan (the raw material used to make liquor). In addition, 10 litres of lahan were seized from Bhulpur Ulehariyan and an FIR was registered, against the accused, in Thakurdwara police under Himachal Pradesh Excise Act 2011.
Acting on a tip off, Kullu assistant commissioner inspected suspected premises located on Banogi-Kullu Beasar Road and seized a total of 588 bottles of English liquor and 369 bottles of beer which were for sale only in Punjab. A case under Section 39 has been registered at Kullu police station. Apart from this, 148 bottles have been seized in other districts and cases have been registered under the Excise Act of 2011.