Illicit booze worth Rs 22 lakh seized in Pratapgarh

Prayagraj: A joint team of surveillance cell (Prayagraj zone) and Pratapgarh police on Thursday seized illegal liquor worth Rs 22 lakh from a semi-constructed house at Balipur village under Hathigawon police station of Pratapgarh.
Station officer (Hathigawan) D N Yadav said, “A joint team of the surveillance cell and Hathigawan police received an input that two men, including Guddu Singh alias Sanjay Pratap Singh and Rajesh Saroj of Balipur, were operating an organised liquor racket in different UP districts.They used to fix fake hologram and wrappers on liquor bottles and were also involved in manufacturing of spurious liquor with the help of chemicals.”
The accused used to smuggle IMFL and desi liquor from neighbouring states and later mix adulterated booze in the bottles before selling them with changed QR codes in different parts of the state.
On being tipped off about a huge consignment kept at Saroj’s house, the team raided the premises and seized 298 cartons of liquor. A case under sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 272, 273 of IPC and sections 60 and 63 of excise act has been registered.