Excise Department Seizes Liquor Worth Rs 40 Lakh in Major Crackdown on Illicit Manufacturing and Smuggling; Eight Arrested

Pune, 20th November 2025: In a sweeping crackdown on illegal liquor manufacturing, transportation and sale, the Maharashtra State Excise Department conducted back-to-back operations in Dhayari and Daund, seizing illicit liquor and related material worth ₹40,05,720 and arresting eight accused.

Illegal Goa Liquor Seized from Innova in Dhayari
A team from the State Excise Department’s Pune Division (D Division) intercepted a Toyota Innova Crysta (MH 12 VL 0955) near Dhayari Phata under the Sinhagad Road Police Station limits. Large quantities of liquor sourced from Goa were found hidden inside the vehicle, including:

McDowell’s No. 1 Whisky (180 ml): 288 bottles

Royal Stag Whisky (180 ml): 192 bottles

Imperial Blue Whisky (180 ml): 240 bottles

The seized stock is valued at ₹24,04,160. The team arrested Amar Pundalik Bodre, a resident of Satara, and Chetan Madhukar Bate of Narhe, Pune.

Fake Bottling Material, Empty Bottles Recovered

Further investigation led officials to raid Bate’s residence, where they seized:

144 bottles each of McDowell’s No. 1, Royal Stag and Imperial Blue

36 bottles of Goa-made Adriel Classic Whisky (750 ml)

600 fake caps, 192 empty bottles and a mobile phone

This haul is valued at ₹1,18,560.

Another accused, Tushar Subhash Kalane of Purandar, was also arrested after officials recovered:

284 bottles of Goa-made Adriel Classic Whisky

750 counterfeit caps

A mobile phone

The items seized from Kalane’s premises are valued at ₹4,06,500.

In the Dhayari operation alone, five people were arrested, and goods worth ₹29,92,220 were seized.

Daund Operation: 720 Bottles and Fake Labels Seized

In a separate action, the Daund division of the State Excise Department seized liquor worth ₹8,85,600 from Swami Chincholi, including:

480 bottles of Imperial Blue Whisky

240 bottles of Royal Stag Whisky

A mobile phone

Accused Vaibhav Salunkhe was arrested on the spot. A subsequent raid at his residence yielded:

432 liquor bottles of various brands

1,300 fake labels

This additional stock is valued at ₹1,27,300.

The total seizure in the Daund operation amounts to ₹10,12,900, and three accused are in custody.

The investigations are being led by Inspector Sachin Srivastava (Pune D Division) and Sub-Inspector Pradeep Jhunjuruk (Daund Division).
State Excise Superintendent Atul Kanade said that action against illegal liquor networks will continue aggressively and urged citizens to report information on unlawful activities via the toll-free number 1800 233 9999 or 020-26058633.