Excise Officials Bust Major IMFL Counterfeit Racket in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Excise officials uncovered an illegal operation producing counterfeit Indian Made Foreign Liquor in Thane district. Five individuals were arrested, and illicit liquor mimicking prominent brands, along with machinery and packaging equipment, were seized. Investigations continue as the suspected mastermind remains at large.

In a significant crackdown, Maharashtra Excise Department officials have dismantled a sophisticated racket specializing in the illegal manufacture and sale of counterfeit Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in Thane district. The operations resulted in the arrest of five individuals linked to the lucrative scheme.

Officials seized illicit liquor that mimicked popular brands valued at Rs 47 lakh from the house of the alleged mastermind, who remains at large. The Excise Superintendent for Thane, Pravin Tambe, revealed the operation took place near a hotel in the Mira Road area, and led to the arrest of key figures, including Ramkesh Sitaram Gupta.

The revelation of a fully equipped illegal liquor factory underscored the scale and organization involved. Machinery for manufacturing, bottling, capping, and sealing was found, demonstrating the lengths to which the syndicate went to sell counterfeit products under fake IMFL labels. The probe continues as officials work to apprehend the lead suspect.

(With inputs from agencies.)