80-000-litres-of-ethanol-seized-in-bathinda-8-arrested

In a significant crackdown on the illicit liquor trade, the Punjab’s Excise Department seized around 80,000 litres of ethanol during overnight raids in Bathinda, resulting in the arrest of eight individuals, Finance and Excise Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Friday.

 

The ethanol was recovered from two trucks bearing Gujarat registration numbers, indicating the consignment originated from the western state, the minister said in an official statement. In addition to the trucks, two cars and an SUV linked to the operation were also impounded.

 

The arrested individuals include four residents of Bathinda, two from Uttar Pradesh, and two Nepalese nationals. They have been booked under stringent provisions of the law that include the possibility of life imprisonment, Cheema stated.

Interrogation of the accused is underway by teams from both the Excise Department and the police.

 

According to Cheema, the seized ethanol could have been used to manufacture an estimated 6.25 lakh bottles of liquor—including 3.75 lakh bottles of country-made liquor—or around 1.10 lakh bottles of sanitiser. “If such a large quantity of liquor had been manufactured and distributed, it could have endangered thousands of lives,” he added, terming the seizure a “major success” in the government’s campaign against illegal liquor.

 

He warned those involved in the manufacture or sale of illegal liquor to shut down operations immediately or face stringent legal action, including imprisonment.

 

The ethanol was reportedly loaded at a factory in Dinanagar, Gurdaspur. Authorities are currently investigating its intended destination and use.

The seizure followed a tip-off about the movement of the ethanol-laden trucks, prompting the Excise Department to set up multiple checkpoints in coordination with the police, ultimately leading to the successful seizure.

 

Reiterating the government’s zero-tolerance policy, Cheema warned those involved in the manufacture and sale of illegal liquor to cease operations immediately or face severe legal consequences.

 

"The AAP government’s ultimate aim is to eradicate drugs and illicit liquor from Punjab. There will be no compromise in the war against drugs and crime," he said.