NCB Shuts Down Around 80 Liquor Vends in Ludhiana Connected with Gangster Akshay Chabbra’s Drug Money

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has sealed around 80 liquor vends in Ludhiana in connection to drug lord Akshay Chabbra’s monetary investments. Chabbra has allegedly invested crores of rupees in two liquor groups in Ludhiana, money that he made from drug trafficking.

Akshay Chabbra was arrested by the NCB last year and had reportedly partnered with three liquor contractors to invest money in two groups of liquor vends – the Gill Road Group and the Fortis Group. Now, around 80 liquor vends of AS & Company in Punjab have been sealed as it is reported that Chabbra was investing his drug money into these businesses.

It has been revealed that Chabbra had a 25 percent stake in the two groups with the total revenue promised by AS & Company, where Chabbra was a partner, being Rs. 74 crore for the ongoing fiscal year. A senior officer said, “The company had deposited Rs 3.50 crore in cash in June, when the liquor vends were allotted to them. Till November, they have not defaulted on making their monthly payment of license fee.”

Another senior officer said, “So far, we have found that he invested in two groups (group is a single licencing unit), after we were approached by the NCB.” The team is also looking at other deals that were signed with different contractors for the 36 groups in Ludhiana Range.

The excise department has reportedly initiated an inquiry into the extent of involvement of Chabbra in the liquor business.

The NCB has accused Chabbra of running an international drug syndicate and claimed that he was laundering money through investments in his liquor business and other side businesses. Chabbra would source raw heroin and other drugs and then make synthetic drugs using these.

Vineet Washington