Fake liquor factory busted in Haryana, three arrested

Ambala: The Ambala police in Haryana have busted a fake liquor manufacturing unit operating near the Shahzadpur police station. The police recovered a large cache of illicit liquor and packaging materials used to replicate brands sold in Haryana and Punjab.

Officials said they found 109 cartons of country liquor, 80 litres of ready-to-distribute illicit liquor, two 100-litre liquor cans, three drums of spirit, 12 empty drums, 30 other drums, and six 20-litre bottles at the site.

Additionally, around 9,600 empty bottles, four storage tanks, food colours, caramel colour, lids, wrappers, cardboard boxes, hologram numbers, QR codes, and other liquor-making equipment were seized. Several vehicles were also confiscated.

According to the police, the liquor was being filtered through a tea sieve and bottled for sale. Three people were arrested from the spot, identified as Gurpreet Singh, a resident of village Uparli Dhamoli; Surendra Singh, a resident of Bapoli; and Sandeep, a resident of Dhanana.

Another accused, Sachin, a resident of Gobindpur in Shahzadpur, was also named. All four have been sent to four-day police remand.

Police sources said the factory had been operating just a short distance from the local police station.

This incident comes six months after a similar fake liquor unit was busted in Yamunanagar, where several people reportedly died after consuming adulterated alcohol.