NONGPOH, March 4: A large cache of equipment used for the illegal production of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) was busted on Sunday. The operation was carried out at two locations —Umiam EPIP and Lad Umroi along the Umiam Bypass.
The joint raid was that led to this development was conducted by authorities from the Excise department of Ri-Bhoi in collaboration with the Assam Excise department and Umiam Police.
The raid was initiated following a breakthrough by the Excise department of Kamrup Metro, Assam, which had earlier intercepted a truck (AS-11-AC-9144) at Khanapara. Upon inspection, officials discovered 10,000 counterfeit labels of McDowell’s No. 1 Luxury Whisky. During the interrogation of the truck driver, it was revealed that an illegal IMFL manufacturing unit was operating in Umiam, Ri Bhoi District.
Ri-Bhoi Superintendent of Excise, RC Lyngdoh, informed the media on Tuesday that at around 1:30 pm on Sunday, the Commissioner of Excise in Shillong received an alert from Assam’s Excise department requesting a joint operation. Acting swiftly, officers from the Ri-Bhoi Excise department were deployed to investigate two suspected locations linked to illicit liquor production.
While no evidence was found during the raid at Umiam EPIP, the search operation near Umroi along the Shillong Bypass led to the discovery of a significant quantity of materials used for illegal IMFL production. Items seized included counterfeit holograms of the Meghalaya and Assam Excise departments, blending and storage tanks, capping machines, production line equipment, flavouring and colouring agents, empty bottles, fake liquor labels, cartons for packaging, bottle caps and seals, and 23,000 bottles of illegally manufactured IMFL, which were intended for distribution in Assam and Meghalaya.
Lyngdoh stated that a detailed investigation is under way to identify and prosecute the owner and others involved in the illegal operation, who were absconding from the site during the raid and all confiscated materials will be transferred to a secure location for safe custody.
