Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 26 Apr: The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Guwahati zonal office on Thursday conducted raids at nine locations across Arunachal Pradesh, targeting wholesale liquor sellers.
The raids, carried out in Itanagar, Naharlagun, Seppa, Ziro, Daporijo, Namsai, and Roing, were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, to investigate an alleged large-scale illegal liquor smuggling network.
In a statement, the ED informed that the investigation was initiated based on multiple FIRs registered by the Assam Police concerning illegal transportation and smuggling of liquor from Arunachal into Assam. The agency said that, during the probe, it identified three kingpins running the smuggling network. Although the individuals have not yet been named, the ED added that the entities operated using dummy licences held in the names of local residents, while the actual financial and managerial control rests with the kingpins.
“Each wholesaler procured liquor exclusively from one or two bonded warehouses owned by its own beneficial controller. Examination of wholesale bank accounts revealed that 51% to 90% of total credits were unexplained cash deposits, accompanied by systematic invoice-splitting below Rs 2,00,000, including over 200 bills of an identical amount of Rs 1,99,554 in a single month at one location. On-site managers of the wholesalers confirmed the beneficial ownership of the kingpins, as books, stock registers, and daily cash proceeds were found to be physically routed to the kingpins’ central offices,” the ED stated.
The agency further informed that Rs 40 lakh in unexplained cash was seized during the raids. It also seized 14 seals, including those of the Excise Department of the Government of Arunachal, which were allegedly used to fabricate transport permits.
The ED also stated that its earlier search conducted last year at the premises of three principal liquor manufacturers in Arunachal, alleged to be the kingpins of the network, had indicated that the syndicate exploited interstate excise duty differentials. This was allegedly done by using a chain of manufacturers, bonded warehouses, and wholesalers, while concealing beneficial ownership through tribal partnerships and dummy licence holders, and diverting liquor meant for Arunachal for illegal sale in Assam and other states.
Meanwhile, a senior state government official said they are aware of the raid. “ED conducts a raid independently. We are aware of the raids, and if our support is sought, we will definitely extend it,” the official added.
