Fake Liquor Label Racket Uncovered in Hyderabad; ₹50 Lakh Equipment Seized, Two Arrested

Rapid Summary:

• Telangana Excise and Prohibition Department’s State Task Force (STF) arrested two men, Gaddameedi Prakash and Niwavat Rajesh, for running a fake liquor label manufacturing unit.
• Officials raided the Kushaiguda premises in the early hours of Monday, seizing a high-end color label printer worth ₹30 lakh and additional equipment worth ₹20 lakh.
• The operation was run covertly across residential colonies in Kushaiguda, Shivsai Nagar, and Nagarjuna Colony. Another suspect, Gaddameedi Naveen goud, operated the unit from his residence.
• investigations linked this raid to another counterfeit liquor case at a rice mill in Suryapet two months ago. That case uncovered spirit purchases worth ₹4 crore traced to various States via bank transactions.
• The fake labels produced here were distributed across Telangana as well as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Spirit used for adulteration was sourced through Krishna industries in Hyderabad.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The seizure of this counterfeit liquor label manufacturing unit highlights a deepening issue with organized crime targeting India’s alcohol industry-a sector with strict regulations due to revenue dependence and safety concerns. Raids like these reinforce the need for proactive enforcement measures against counterfeiters exploiting loopholes across state lines. Moreover, large-scale adulteration using illicitly procured spirit poses important health risks to consumers while undermining legitimate businesses.

The cross-state distribution network points towards systemic weaknesses in tracking such operations effectively. collaboration among excise departments across states could enhance oversight over raw material sourcing (e.g., spirit) and reduce illegal activities impacting public health and regional economies. Continued vigilance will be crucial for states like Telangana that play central roles in supplying raw materials widely dispersed within illicit markets.

Read More: Link