In a major crackdown on the illegal liquor trade, the Punjab Government on Friday announced the seizure of 80,000 litres of Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) used to make illicit liquor. The alcohol was found in two Gujarat-registered tankers near a dhaba in Kot Shamir, Bathinda, late Thursday night.
Eight people were arrested on the spot, and two cars—a Toyota Etios and an Innova—were also seized during the operation.
Excise Minister Harpal Cheema said the raid was carried out by a joint team of the Excise Police and the Special Operation Group. He said the AAP government’s strict action against illegal liquor activities had led to the seizure of 1.7 lakh litres of ENA since 2022.
At a press conference, Cheema said the raid was planned based on a tip-off about a gang involved in illegally storing and transporting ethanol. The operation ended at Navraj Dhaba, where the tankers—each carrying 40,000 litres of ENA—were intercepted.
The seized ethanol was reportedly loaded from VRV Hospitality Pvt Ltd in Chak Alia, Gurdaspur, and was officially marked for delivery to IOCL, Bathinda. However, authorities suspect the consignment was intended to be diverted to dry states—where alcohol is banned—for illegal liquor production.
Minister Cheema added that the seized alcohol could have been used to make around 3.72 lakh bottles of country liquor (PML), 2.47 lakh bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), or over 1 lakh litres of sanitiser.
An FIR has been registered at the Sadar Police Station in Bathinda under strict laws, including sections that allow life imprisonment. A detailed investigation is now underway to uncover the entire network behind this illegal trade.
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