Cops make hay in Pak’s biggest-ever ’scotch-for-hooch liquor scam’

ISLAMABAD - The biggest-ever ‘liquor scam’ in Pakistan’s history has taken a new turn following the disclosure that the actual number of bottles seized in the raid may have been over 42,000 instead of 26,277 claimed by Islamabad Police.

According to sources, the attempt to show lesser number of seized liquor bottles in police records was aimed at stowing away the expensive brands of liquor.

It was earlier reported that foreign liquor, including Blue Label and Black Label, seized by Islamabad police were later replaced with bottles of local liquor.

The market price of Blue Label and Royal Salute in Islamabad is Rs15,000 per bottle, and the seized liquor is reportedly valued at Rs.200 million.

Well-placed sources in police alleged that the officer dealing with the case made tens of millions of rupees after striking deals with liquor tycoons of the country based in Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi, The News reports.

Another source had earlier revealed that a major quantity of the branded liquor had been replaced, while the remaining was being shifted gradually, but swiftly.

“The operation of replacing branded liquor from the Shalimar Police Station started after sunset when the crates of seized liquor were transported to undisclosed destinations and those were replaced with the crates of bottles filled with local liquor,” the source had added.

The sources had also revealed that the services of a notorious bootlegger were ‘acquired’ for the whole operation.

The man also has a police record with at least five cases.

In return for the ’services’, all cases registered against him were closed on the basis of lack of evidence.

In the past, police have conducted several raids and recovered such fake re-bottled liquor from different ‘dens’ in and around Islamabad, but this case is unique in the sense that the police officials are themselves involved in the crime. (ANI)