New Delhi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has conducted search and seizure operations at 10 locations across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, and Punjab in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the alleged illegal procurement and sale of imported foreign liquor through Gurugram-based liquor vend chain ‘The Theka’.
The searches, carried out by the ED’s Gurugram Zonal Office on Tuesday and Wednesday under the PMLA, covered offices and residences of individuals associated with ‘The Theka’, foreign liquor suppliers, transporters, and others allegedly involved in the liquor syndicate.
According to the ED, the investigation stems from FIRs and charge sheets filed by Haryana Police over allegations of illegal sale of imported foreign liquor and misuse of the bond-to-bond transfer mechanism to evade customs duties and state excise taxes.
The case originated from a complaint by Excise Department officials, who seized 3,921 cases and 176 loose bottles of imported foreign liquor allegedly lacking mandatory holograms and Track & Trace strips from ‘The Theka’ on December 9, 2025. Another FIR was also registered against members of the syndicate for alleged involvement in the sale of spurious liquor.
The ED said its probe revealed that the syndicate exploited the bond-to-bond transfer system, which permits movement of imported liquor between states without immediate payment of customs and excise duties. To facilitate the operation, separate companies were established in Haryana and Goa/Maharashtra and requisite customs licences obtained.
While the liquor was officially meant to be transported to bonded warehouses in Goa or Maharashtra, investigators found that consignments were diverted in connivance with transporters and supplied directly to liquor vends in Gurugram. The liquor was then sold as legitimate imported stock, enabling the syndicate to evade customs duties, VAT, cesses, and other taxes.
The agency alleged that after securing a liquor licence for the 2025-27 period, the syndicate procured and sold imported liquor without holograms and Track & Trace strips to increase profits. More than one lakh bottles of imported liquor were procured and illegally sold between June and November 2025.
According to the ED, the operation yielded profits of 20-25 per cent on illegal sales and generated proceeds of crime exceeding Rs 10 crore.
During the searches, officials recovered and seized incriminating documents, digital records relating to the procurement and movement of imported liquor under customs bond arrangements, and cash amounting to Rs 11 lakh.
Further investigation is underway.
(IANS)
