Goa Excise officials have uncovered a significant tax evasion scheme involving a Haryana-based liquor distribution company that attempted to smuggle premium liquor brands such as Chivas Regal, Absolut Vodka, Johnnie Walker, and Black Label into the state without paying over Rs 1 crore in duties. The operation was intercepted at the Patradevi checkpost, where a Haryana-registered truck, falsely claiming its consignment was for “Customs,” was found carrying retail-sized bottles (mostly 750 ml and under) instead of the 1,000 ml packaging required for Customs shipments. This discrepancy raised suspicions, leading to the driver’s brief arrest and a deeper investigation.
Subsequent raids at a warehouse in Alto Pilerne revealed that this was likely the company’s first unauthorized shipment to Goa, with no duty paid, permits, labels, or excise clearance. The seized liquor, valued at about Rs 75 lakh, was intended for the tourist-heavy retail market. Had it gone undetected, the illegal consignment would have cost the state exchequer over Rs 1 crore in lost revenue. The Excise department has now issued a show-cause notice to the Haryana-based company and is considering suspending its wholesale operations in Goa. Investigations are ongoing into possible links to a larger illicit supply network, as liquor from Haryana, often targeted by bootleggers due to lower taxes, has previously been associated with illegal rebottling and black-market operations.
