198 bottles of illicit liquor seized by excise department during inspection in Gautam Budh Nagar

The Gautam Budh Nagar Excise department has arrested a suspect and seized 198 bottles of spurious liquor in a crackdown on illicit liquor sales.

The Gautam Budh Nagar Excise department has intensified its crackdown on the sale of illicit liquor in the district. In a recent operation, the department arrested a suspect and seized 198 bottles of spurious liquor from his possession, officials aware of the matter said.

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The operation was conducted following the direction of district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and Police Commissioner, Gautam Budh Nagar, Laxmi Singh.

The suspect, identified as Sonu, was arrested from Sector 1 in Noida and was found selling spurious liquor from his shop.

District excise officer, GB Nagar, Subodh Kumar said, “During an enforcement drive that was conducted by the department on Friday, Sonu was arrested from Sector 1 and as many as 198 bottles (198 ml) of country-made illicit liquor were confiscated. Inspections were also conducted in the Sorkha and Baraula areas under the Bisrakh police station during the drive. The accused has been booked under provisions of Excise Act.”

The department also conducted raids at various bars and shops in malls and tested purchased liquor to check if it was being sold at the maximum retail price (MRP). Shops in Surajpur, Devla, and Malakpur among other places, were also inspected, officials said.

“Strict instructions have been issued to the concerned to ensure that the liquor is being sold at MRPs only and the customers are not overcharged. Besides, shopkeepers and vendors have also been asked to use POS (point of sales) machines and opt for online payment methods”, added Kumar.

Notably, the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration has been observing an intense drive in the city to check of the sale of spurious liquor while has been sensitizing people against the ill effects of the same on their health.

The department has also launched a toll-free helpline number (14405) and (9454466019) for the public to report cases of illegal liquor sale. The department has assured that the identity of the informer will be kept confidential.