Following specific tip-offs, the Excise Department, Patiala, has dealt a decisive blow to criminal networks engaged in the adulteration, counterfeiting and cross-border smuggling of liquor within the district.The Patiala Excise Department has registered three major FIRs, arrested multiple accused, and seized substantial quantities of illicit, spurious and smuggled liquor. These operations were a product of meticulous prior intelligence gathering and coordinated inter-agency effort.Adulteration racket busted at Lehal ColonyThe first major breakthrough came when specific intelligence pointed to a clandestine adulteration operation being run from a residential premises at House No. 2060/5/B, Lehal Colony, Patiala. “Excise team, along with Excise Police staff, descended on the premises and apprehended two accused — Arjun Kumar of Baba Jiwan Singh Nagar, Passi Road, Patiala, and his accomplice Puneet Kumar DMW Colony, Patiala — red-handed,” said officials.“The accused were systematically filling empty bottles bearing the labels of internationally recognised premium Scotch whisky brands — Johnnie Walker Black Label, Black Dog Gold Reserve, and 100 Pipers — with inferior IMFL Wazir Deluxe Whisky, a product authorised for sale in Chandigarh only, which is neither licensed nor lawfully permitted for sale within Punjab,” they added.Police also recovered refilled liquor bottles sealed with counterfeit caps of premium brands, which were meant to be sold to unsuspecting customers at high-end Scotch whisky prices — amounting to both consumer fraud and a serious public health risk. The raid led to the seizure of 34 bottles of IMFL Wazir Deluxe, 49 empty Black Label bottles, 10 empty Black Dog Gold Reserve bottles, eight empty 100 Pipers bottles, along with fake cap seals and packaging materials of multiple premium brands.A case has been registered at PS Civil Lines, Patiala under Section 61-1-14 of the Punjab Excise Act and Sections 346 and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023.Smuggled and counterfeit liquor cache seized at Mohalla LaturpuraIn another case on April 14, 2026, a meticulously coordinated joint operation by Excise and Patiala in Mohalla Laturpura, led to the arrest of Raj Kumar Sethi, and the seizure of a large and deeply incriminating consignment of 150 bottles of liquor spanning three categories of contraband.Police recovered Royal Challenge (47 bottles), Punjab Mota Santra (24), Punjab Rano Saunfi (7), and Royal Stag (8 bottles). Super Himmat Saunf (10 bottles) — liquor bearing Chandigarh territorial authorisation — was illegally procured across the administrative boundary and unlawfully introduced into the Punjab market.“Had this consignment reached consumers, the consequences could have been fatal,” said an excise official.Cross-border counterfeit network intercepted at Kullemajra villageEarlier on April 10, a joint operation by the Excise Department and CIA staff, Patiala, at Cheeka Road, Kullemajra village, intercepted a car carrying 25 cases of liquor purportedly bearing Haryana territorial authorisation under the brand name ‘NV Raseela Santra.’ A careful on-the-spot inspection by the Excise team, however, exposed a clinching forensic indicator of counterfeiting — every single bottle in the entire consignment bore the identical hologram number.Compounding this finding, not a single bottle bore a batch number or manufacturing date — both of which are mandatory statutory requirements — conclusively pointing to clandestine, unlicensed manufacture.The two accused, Maninder Singh of Bhankhar village, Sanaur, and Gurvinder Singh of Patiala, fled the spot. “The vehicle has been seized and investigation is underway to establish the full extent of the supply network, its manufacturing source, distribution chain and end-sale points,” said officials.Zero tolerance, public health and protection of state revenueThe Patiala Excise Department wishes to place on record, with the utmost emphasis, that its zero tolerance policy against excise violations is absolute, unconditional and admits of no exception. Whether the offence takes the form of adulteration, counterfeiting, cross-border smuggling, unlicensed storage, or sale outside authorised channels — it shall be pursued with the full and uncompromising force of law. No offender shall be spared, no compromise entertained, and no leniency extended on any grounds whatsoever. The department’s enforcement tempo will only intensify in the weeks and months ahead.The Excise Department has urged citizens to purchase liquor only from authorised government vends. It also appealed to the public to immediately report any instances of illegal storage, manufacture, sale, or transportation of liquor to the nearest Excise Office or police station.