Bootleg liquor unit busted in Suryapet
Officials seized massive quantities of materials used in the production of adulterated liquor, including 38 Mc Dowell's whiskey quarter bottles, 38 cartons, 42.8 kilogram of whiskey bottle caps, 56.3 kg of generic caps, over 7,800 labels, six 200-litre steel jugs among others. The estimated value of the seized items is approximately ₹20 lakh.
The accused were identified as S. Mahesh Kumar from Durgi in Palnadu district, and Prakash, the owner of the rice mill in Ramapuram. Other suspects - Siva Shankar, Mallikarjun Rao, Sharanjit Singh, and R., are currently lodged in a jail in Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to trace Srinivas, alias Abdul Kalam, identified as a key figure in the racket.
According to Excise Enforcement Director Shahnawaz Qasim, the unit was using adulterated rice as part of the production process and was replicating branded products with counterfeit labels and packaging. He noted that similar operations had previously been exposed in Andhra Pradesh, where several individuals involved in fake liquor networks were arrested.
The department's vigilance stems from past incidents, including the 2022 episode in which residents in areas under Ibrahimpatnam, Bhongir, Ramannapet and Nampally excise stations reported stomach ailments after consuming suspected Royal Stag whisky. Investigations then revealed counterfeit liquor in circulation.
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