GUWAHATI: Assam and Meghalaya Excise Departments uncovered a large-scale illicit liquor operation in Meghalaya recently. The operation was initiated when a Kamrup (Metro) Excise team intercepted a truck (AS-11-AC-9144) at Khanapara and recovered approximately 10,000 fake labels of an Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brand. The driver was taken into custody who, during interrogation, disclosed details about the illegal distillery.
Acting on the information, a joint team of Assam and Meghalaya Excise Department personnel raided the facility leading to the seizure of over 3,000 cases of counterfeit IMFL. The raid also exposed a fully functional illegal liquor manufacturing unit engaged in producing counterfeit versions of multiple well-known liquor brands. A vast range of production equipment was seized, including:
-Blending vats and Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) vats
-Production lines and capping machines
-Labelling machines and hologram fixing machines
-Packaging materials, branded labels, empty bottles
-Flavouring and colouring agents
The operation was led by Debajit Nath, Superintendent, Excise, Kamrup (Metro) and Inspectors Arif Ahmed and Moloy Sameer Dutta.
This operation follows a similar bust in June 2024, when the Assam Excise Department, in collaboration with Meghalaya Excise, dismantled another illegal unit.
Investigators suspect the hand of Prag Raj Singla behind this illegal enterprise. Singla is allegedly the owner of Shiva Bottles Pvt Ltd, located in Patarkuchi, Sonapur, which manufactures plastic bottles. His son, Tushar Singla, previously allegedly operated Shiva Beverages Pvt Ltd in Khetri, but the company's license was revoked due to illegal activities. Following the cancellation, Singla allegedly shifted his operations to Meghalaya, distributing illicit liquor across both Assam and Meghalaya.
Authorities have also linked this operation to an earlier seizure on October 26, 2022, when a truck carrying 800 cartons of illicit liquor was intercepted at Nazirakhat toll gate. The truck was in the name of Tushar Singla.
Investigations are ongoing, and authorities have assured strict legal action against those involved in this large-scale illicit liquor trade.
