A liquor vend in a Narela mall was caught refilling bottles of premium whisky and vodka with cheap liquor and water.
The “well-organised fraud” was uncovered during a surprise raid by the Delhi Government’s Excise Department.
The raid, carried out on Thursday evening at a Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (DSIIDC) liquor store, followed specific intelligence inputs about illegal activity inside the shop.
When the team of excise inspectors reached the location, they found the shutters partially open even though the store was supposed to be closed.
Inside the store, four men were caught red-handed refilling and mixing cheap alcohol and water in empty bottles of expensive liquor brands. “They were attempting to pass off adulterated liquor as high-end products,” said an excise department officer involved in the operation.
The team also discovered a vehicle parked outside the store, loaded with a bag full of empty liquor bottles. Many of these bottles, officials said, were being used inside the shop for illegal refilling.
“The employees had been buying used bottles from scrap dealers and then refilling them with cheap liquor. They would paste barcodes to make them look genuine,” the officer added.
The operation has exposed how some retail liquor outlets have been attempting to exploit Delhi’s high-end alcohol market.
“These bottles were being sold at the price of premium brands, posing not just a commercial fraud but also a public health risk,” another official said.
Soon after the raid, the excise team alerted local police and a case was registered at the Narela police station. Police seized the refilled bottles and the vehicle used in the racket.
The four men caught inside the vend were detained for questioning.
A senior police officer confirmed that samples of the seized bottles had been sent to a forensic laboratory for chemical analysis.
“We will know the exact nature and composition of the liquor once the test results come in,” he said.
Officials said the DSIIDC has been informed of the incident, and strict action has been sought against the employees involved. The liquor vend has been sealed pending investigation.
The Excise Department suspects that the illegal refilling may have been going on for several weeks.
Preliminary inquiry indicates that the staff had developed a network with local scrap dealers to procure empty bottles of costly brands, including imported labels. These bottles were then cleaned, filled with cheap liquor, resealed and sold at original prices, making large profits.
“This kind of malpractice damages consumer trust and can have serious health consequences,” said an excise officer. “We are increasing random checks across the city’s liquor vendors to ensure such activities are curbed.”
The case has raised questions about oversight and accountability at Government-allotted liquor vendors, which are expected to maintain strict quality and stock control.
Authorities said a detailed inquiry is underway to determine whether the store’s management was aware of the illegal operation.
