Patiala, April 20 -- Cracking down on the illicit liquor trade, the Patiala excise department has unearthed three separate criminal networks involved in the adulteration, counterfeiting and inter-state smuggling of liquor. Officials said on Sunday that a coordinated, intelligence-led operation led to the registration of three FIRs, three arrests, and the seizure of hundreds of bottles of counterfeit, spurious and smuggled liquor since April 1. In the most recent action, a tip-off led the excise and police teams to House Number 2060/5/B in Lehal Colony on Friday. Here, two men were caught red-handed refilling empty bottles of premium Scotch whisky brands - Johnnie Walker Black Label, Black Dog Gold Reserve and 100 Pipers - with cheaper Wazir Deluxe whisky, a brand authorised for sale only in Chandigarh and not licensed for Punjab. The accused, identified as Arjun Kumar and Puneet Kumar, were allegedly sealing the bottles with counterfeit caps and preparing to distribute them at premium prices for weddings and parties. Officials said 34 bottles of IMFL Wazir Deluxe, 49 empty Black Label bottles, 10 empty Black Dog bottles and packaging material were seized. A case under the Punjab Excise Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered. On April 14, a joint operation at House Number 2231/1 in Mohalla Laturpura led to the arrest of Raj Kumar Sethi. Officials seized 150 bottles of liquor in three categories - legally sold Punjab brands, liquor with Chandigarh territorial authorisation illegally brought into Punjab, and most alarmingly, 54 bottles of prima facie counterfeit liquor. The fake bottles were masquerading as Royal Stag, Punjab Heer Saunfi and Punjab Asli Mota Santra. Officials said the consignment showed all hallmarks of unregulated manufacture and could have posed a fatal health risk had it reached consumers. On April 10, the excise department and CIA staff intercepted a Honda City on Cheeka Road in Kullemajra village. A search of the vehicle revealed 25 cases of "NV Raseela Santra" liquor purportedly bearing Haryana territorial authorisation. However, every bottle in the consignment carried an identical hologram number, and none had mandatory batch numbers or manufacturing dates - clear indicators of counterfeiting. The two occupants, Maninder Singh and Gurvinder Singh, fled the spot and are being actively traced. The vehicle has been seized, and investigations are underway to identify the manufacturing source and supply chain. Jitendra Jorwal, excise commissioner, Punjab, said its zero tolerance policy against excise violations was "absolute, unconditional, and admits of no exception"....