PANJIM: The excise department has allegedly suspended licences of four liquor stores after nearly two months’ inquiry prima facie found it selling duplicate IMFL. The inquiry was initiated following simultaneous raids at Anand Wines located in Gogol (Margao), Old Station Road (Margao), Benaulim and Chinchinim on March 30. The wine stores are owned by three separate owners, who have now been served show cause notices returnable on June 14.
“The stores were raided following a tip off from the brand’s original owner and manufacturer, and based on our intelligence report that they were selling duplicate Old Monk Very Old Vatted XXX Rum,” Commissioner Menino D’Souza said.
The raids led to seizure of 263 bottles of the same brand.
The commissioner said that the owner of the product Mohan Meakin Ltd – that has given rights to Blue Ocean Beverages Pvt Ltd, had complained about the alleged illegality, prompting an inquiry and eventually raid.
“The owner and the manufacturer complained that the stores were selling duplicate product. All the expertise was roped in to find out that the bottle caps and labels were not of the quality prescribed by the company. Moreover, the glass bottles (seized stock) were recycled ones whereas the company uses only new bottles,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner Satyawan Bhivshet added that the store proprietors were unable to submit purchase bills or transport permits, ascertaining that the liquor was duplicate.
“All the raids were conducted simultaneously to find out the illegality. The department has suspended their licences and issued show cause notices. Hearing is scheduled on June 14,” he said.
Inspectors Shekhar Desai from Canacona excise station, Datta Gawde of Ponda, Pramod Zuvekar of Sanguem and Prashant Paingainkar from Quepem led their respective raiding teams.
The department has kept under surveillance a number of liquor outlets that are allegedly involved in similar illegality. Inspections are regularly being carried out.
