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Pricey bottles, cheap booze: Fake 'luxury liquor’ racket busted in Delhi govt store
Team of excise department inspectors, on receiving inputs, raided the Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation liquor vend at a mall
Delhi government officials have uncovered a "fake luxury liquor" racket operating inside one of their own stores at a mall in Narela. The excise department allegedly caught the store employees refilling empty bottles of premium whisky and vodka with cheap liquor and even water.
According to news agency PTI, a team of excise department inspectors, on receiving inputs, raided the Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (DSIIDC) liquor vend at the mall in Narela on Thursday.
When the team entered the store, they found it partially open and four employees inside allegedly engaged in the refilling operation.
"The employees of the vend used to purchase bottles of liquor from scrap dealers and used to affix bar codes, passing them off as legitimate, high-priced liquor. We have informed the DSIIDC and sought action against them," said the officer.
The officer also found a vehicle parked outside the venue, in which a bag of empty liquor bottles was found, some of which were being used inside the venue for illicit refilling.
Police from the Narela station were called to the spot and registered a case. The liquor bottles, refilling equipment, and the vehicle have been seized. Samples of the refilled bottles have been sent for chemical testing, and the outlet has been sealed pending investigation.
Last month in Punjab, excise officials dismantled a similar racket when two people accused of filling empty bottles of premium imported liquor with lower-quality alcohol were arrested.
The department said the elaborate scheme was designed to deceive consumers and evade state revenue.
Investigators revealed that bottles of top brands, such as Glenlivet, Black Dog, Chivas Regal, Johnnie Walker Gold Label, Hendrick's Gin and Godawan were being refilled with inferior locally sourced liquor.
"This was a clear attempt to cheat consumers and pocket huge profits while depriving the state of revenue," an excise official said.
During the raid, officials seized 106 empty bottles, 39 premium liquor bottles, refilling equipment, and a Swift Dzire car allegedly used in the operation.
