MUMBAI: Mumbai Excise Department has seized around 4,000 duplicate caps of premium liquor brands worth around Rs 12.50 lakh and nabbed one man here the other day. They used such caps to seal bottles of premium brands filled with medium-end liquor.
Inspectors Mukund Bilolikar and Subhash Jadhav of the state excise flying squad said they unearthed the stash of corks when they had raided a spot in Vile Parle (East) based on a tip-off. Sub-inspector Datta Shinde, who is investigating the case, said one man had been arrested. These caps, which carried markings of Black Label, Chivas Regal, Red Label, Ballantine’s, Vat 69, Glenfiddich and Black and White, were meant to be sold at prices up to Rs 300 each, depending on the brands. “These corks are sold to those who blend duplicate liquor. The accused also sold a couple of consignments to bootleggers in Gujarat,” he added. Due to which, the total value of the seizure can go up to Rs 12.50 lakh.
Officials said there was a possibility that these duplicate corks, which bear a massive resemblance to the originals, were manufactured in China and brought to Mumbai via Delhi. “There is a possibility that these corks were being stockpiled for duplication to meet the demand for year-end parties. The period from Christmas to New Year sees a rise in liquor consumption,” noted Shinde.
Earlier this month, the squad had unearthed a similar haul of 1,057 fake corks of premium brands and 585 labels at Vakola.
