Gurugram, Dec. 16 -- Following the seizure of nearly 42,000 bottles of duty-evaded foreign alcohol, Gurugram excise officials have launched audits of licensed liquor vends to unravel the smuggling network and trace the illicit liquor's path to retail. The seizure, estimated at Rs.10 crore in the black market, indicates the issue extends beyond shops to include defence clubs where Canteen Stores Department liquor is allegedly consumed without a valid licence. The action followed a trader's tip-off, leading to a raid on 'The Theka,' officials said. Authorities seized 3,921 cartons and 176 bottles of imported liquor, mostly lacking mandatory holograms and track-and-trace strips. Amit Bhatia, deputy excise and taxation commissioner, said, "The foreign/imported liquor seized from the shop was stored there by [owner] Ankush Goyal and his aides." The shop manager, Ajay Kumar, 26, was arrested first, followed by Goyal, who holds a 25% stake, from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. Investigators suspect the syndicate used over 50 fake customs bond companies, existing only "on paper," to bypass the legal route. Legally, imported stock must pass through government-regulated customs warehouses before licensed private warehouses, officials said. Here, bottles were allegedly rerouted directly to vends, evading duties for massive profits, they added. Advocate Rajeev Yadav, who has flagged trade irregularities, explained, "There is a huge difference in price between smuggled imported liquor. That price gap fuels the illegal market." Industry insiders note imported liquor now dominates, reducing Indian Made Foreign Liquor's market share to around 30%. Authorities are now auditing licenses, warehouse statements, and stock entries, examining possible internal collusion in monitoring. A senior excise officer stated, "This has brought the spotlight on duty-evaded liquor circulating in the market. More vends and establishments will be inspected as the investigation progresses."...