The Maharashtra State Excise Department has busted a liquor adulteration racket in Mumbai’s Chembur area, where sealed bottles of alcohol were tampered with and refilled with water before being sold in the market.
Officials revealed that employees linked to a liquor trading business used a small pipe to pierce sealed bottles, removed nearly half the liquor, and replaced it with water. The stolen liquor was then sold separately, allowing the culprits to make double profits. The tampered bottles were resealed and passed off as genuine, putting consumers’ health at risk.
Excise officers have seized a large quantity of stock, though its value has not yet been disclosed. At least four people have been interrogated, and further investigations are underway.
This case comes just months after a similar racket was uncovered in Mira Road and Bhiwandi, where authorities seized Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and bottling equipment worth over ₹61 lakh. During that raid, one accused admitted to receiving regular supplies from an unidentified source.
