Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 24 : Acting on intelligence input, a joint enforcement team, consisting of Guwahati Excise Intelligence Bureau (EIB) alongwith Bongaigaon and Chirang Excise teams, successfully busted a sophisticated, illegal liquor manufacturing network in Assam's Chirang district, according to the Assam Excise Department.
During the two-day operations, the team unearthed underground bundles of illegal liquor and busted an illegal manufacturing unit, according to officials.
"At a poultry farm in Sundari belonging to suspect Surana Muchahary, teams dug up six hidden drums of Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) and three drums of caramel, alongside thousands of branded mono cartons. A raid at Dipak Debnath's residence in Bhutiapara yielded a bottle-capping machine and raw materials. One accomplice, Lankeswar Debnath, has been detained, while the prime suspect remains on the run. Operating on fresh intelligence, teams raided a heavily camouflaged 5-bigha plot owned by Sanjiv Debnath, seizing a staggering 126 gunny bags of empty liquor bottles ready for illegal bottling," the state Excise Department said in a press release on Tuesday.
Commissioner of Excise, Assam, Jitu Doley, "declared a war" on counterfeit networks following a massive joint crackdown in Chirang that unearthed an alleged sprawling underground fake liquor operation.
Refusing to tolerate any economic sabotage, Commissioner Jitu Doley said, "The Excise Department will hunt down, expose, and completely dismantle every single network attempting to run illicit operations in the state. No matter how deep you bury your contraband or how heavily camouflaged your setups are, our enforcement teams will find you. We are aggressively chasing down the absconding individuals, and the law will catch up with them with full force."
Echoing this uncompromising stance from the headquarters in Guwahati, Senior Excise Officer Sailendra Pandey said that the department is targeting the root of these criminal syndicates.
"This massive seizure in Chirang sends an undeniable, strong message to the culprits involved in looting Assam's state revenue. We will not allow anyone to bleed the state exchequer or compromise public health. Every single individual involved in this chain--from the suppliers of raw materials to the boots on the ground--will face severe legal consequences," Pandey said.
He further said that the Excise Department has intensified its state-wide vigil, making it loud and clear that the crackdown on revenue looters will only get tougher in the days ahead.