Ahmedabad Police’s Prevention of Crime Branch (PCB) has busted an illegal fake premium liquor manufacturing and distribution racket operating from the Shahpur area of the city. Four people were arrested for allegedly repackaging cheap Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) into bottles of premium liquor brands using counterfeit labels, caps, stickers and packaging materials, despite Gujarat’s prohibition on liquor sales.
Acting on a specific tip-off, PCB officials raided a clandestine factory unit in Shahpur and seized 227 sealed bottles of IMFL, empty branded liquor bottles, fake stickers and caps, flavouring agents, hair dryers, mobile phones and other equipment used for bottling and repackaging. The total value of the seized material has been estimated at approximately ₹1.56 lakh.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mandeep Bhavsar, Kailash Bodana, Dev Patel and Devang Jani. Police said the alleged kingpin of the operation, Vicky alias Mango Chauhan, managed to escape during the raid and is currently absconding. Multiple police teams have been formed to trace and arrest him.
According to investigators, Chauhan was running the entire fake liquor network, while the other accused worked under his direction. Mandeep Bhavsar allegedly handled the day-to-day operations of the illegal unit and was paid a monthly salary of ₹35,000. Kailash Bodana was responsible for procuring cheap foreign liquor and empty bottles and reportedly received ₹10,000 for the work. Dev Patel and Devang Jani were engaged in delivering the counterfeit premium liquor and were paid ₹200 per day.
→ ABD Launches 'The Indian Edit' Premium Whisky in UP at ₹1,040; Invests ₹600 Crore to Expand Manufacturing in State→ Vanaha Gin Launches Buransh Bagh, India’s First Buransh Gin Inspired by the Himalayan Forests
PCB official JP Jadeja said the accused sourced used branded liquor bottles from scrap dealers and arranged counterfeit labels and caps to make the bottles appear genuine. Whenever orders for premium liquor were received, the group allegedly mixed inexpensive liquor with water and flavouring agents and filled the mixture into branded bottles a day before dispatch.
Police are now investigating the composition of the flavouring agents and whether any harmful chemicals were used in the counterfeit liquor. Officials said the probe is important because the consumption of adulterated liquor can pose serious health risks to consumers.
A case has been registered at Shahpur Police Station under the Gujarat Prohibition Act. Investigators are also examining the supply and distribution network to identify where the fake premium liquor was being sold and whether additional individuals or liquor smuggling groups were connected to the racket.
The Ahmedabad fake liquor factory bust has once again highlighted the growing challenge of counterfeit premium liquor, illegal bottling operations and liquor smuggling networks in Gujarat, where prohibition laws continue to create opportunities for organised illicit liquor trade.
About the Author
