In a major crackdown ahead of the Holi festival, excise teams from Ramgarh and Ranchi districts jointly raided and dismantled an illegal fake liquor manufacturing unit near their border on Thursday. The operation targeted Ptaratu block in Ramgarh, where authorities received a tip-off about illicit alcohol production.
Assistant Excise Commissioner Arvind Kujur led the teams to Talatand village near the cremation ground road, a spot straddling the district boundaries. Inside a half-constructed building roofed with asbestos sheets, they uncovered a full-fledged setup for counterfeit booze. Seized items included hundreds of empty PET bottles branded as premium whiskies, stacks of fake labels, sealing tapes, empty cartons, and even a punching machine used for packaging.
Excise Inspector Kongres Kumar detailed the haul: 80 crates of 180ml empty Royal Challenge whisky bottles, 59 crates of Black Dog, one crate of Signature whisky bottles, 15 bundles of labels for Royal Challenge, Black Dog, and Imperial Blue, five crates of bottle caps, one punching machine, 15 bundles of empty cartons, and four crates of adhesive tapes for sealing.
This joint effort underscores the excise department’s determination to curb the menace of spurious liquor, especially during festive seasons when demand surges. All materials have been confiscated, and investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the culprits under the Excise Act. Officials warn that such fake alcohol poses severe health risks, including poisoning and death, urging the public to stay vigilant.
The raid sends a strong message to bootleggers operating in border areas, where smuggling thrives due to lax oversight. As Holi approaches, intensified patrols aim to ensure public safety across Jharkhand.