CHANDIGARH: The city-based bottling plants have been selling liquor bottles without hologram seals. The UT excise department has so far failed to check this, which is facilitating cross-border liquor smuggling due to high rate difference between Chandigarh and Mohali The low prices of liquor in Chandigarh as compared to Punjab are luring smugglers, said a city-based liquor seller on request of anonymity. He said, “The UT excise department’s failure to check sale of liquor bottles without holograms from city-based plants is causing huge losses to the state exchequer and vendors in Chandigarh.”Reacting to it, additional excise and taxation commissioner Rakesh Popli said, “We have been checking the malpractice. Recently, we fined some of the bottling plants and also ordered their closure for violation of excise policies. If such malpractice still prevails, we will take strict action.”Assistant commissioner of state tax, mobile wing, Chandigarh, Shalin Walia said in the past four months, the department has seized a haul of 1,126 cartons of India-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and country-made liquor being smuggled into Mohali. He said, “Out of these cartons, 80% were without hologram. This is facilitating cross-border smuggling and causing huge losses to the state exchequer.”The rates of liquor in Chandigarh are 40% less than that in Punjab, said a Chandigarh-based liquor bottling plant official. He said, “The maximum demand is of country-made liquor with prominent brand names suffixed with whisky . One carton of country-made liquor is being sold in UT for Rs 750 to Rs 1,500. In Punjab, it goes for Rs 1,250 to Rs 2,500. In the past few months, the demand has increased manifold.”The liquor is being manufactured by the brand names of King Gold Whisky, Naina Whisky, Super Speed Whisky, Bottoms Up Whisky, All Seasons Whisky, Antiquity Blue Whisky under the IMFL, and country-made liquor under brand names of Himmat Santra, Shoukeen Santra, Dilbar Santra, Shandar Saunfiya, 999 Brand and Sauf Ras, which are the hot favourites of smugglers.

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