Over 10,000 bottles of illicit liquor destroyed in Delhi: Excise dept

The Delhi government's Excise department on Saturday destroyed more than 10,000 bottles containing 5,516 litres of smuggled liquor seized by its enforcement teams in the recent months, officials said.

According to the Excise department, 3,267 litres of illicit liquor was destroyed in Mayur Vihar, 1,285 litres in Sarita Vihar and 964 litres in Tilak Nagar.

A large number of liquor bottles were spread on concrete stretches and a road roller was used to crush them, they said.

"Seizure of liquor smuggled into Delhi and its destruction is a routine exercise," said a senior Excise department official.

The enforcement activity by the department will pick up further once Delhi Police personnel are deputed at its Excise Intelligence Bureau (EIB), the officials said.

Thirty nine police personnel deployed at EIB were repatriated to Delhi Police in August. The move came on the heels of a CBI probe recommended by the LG VK Saxena into alleged irregularities in implementation of now scrapped Excise Policy 2021-22.

Among the repatriated officials were seven sub-inspectors, 16 head constables and remaining were constables.

These police personnel were working at EIB even after completing their deputation period. It is hoped that the Delhi Police will send fresh personnel in coming days so that enforcement activity picks up, they said.

Delhi shares a highly porous border with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana with multiple entry points.

The Excise department has suggested that Delhiites should purchase liquor from the national capital and avoid buying in large quantities from NCR cities like Ghaziabad, Noida and Gurugram as it will be considered illicit liquor if they carry more than one bottle.