Odhav police bust racket of cheap liquor sold in ‘premium’ bottles, woman arrested

The Odhav police have arrested a woman for allegedly running an illegal operation in which cheap liquor was repackaged and sold as premium foreign brands using fake labels and bottles, officials said on Tuesday.

Police official said the accused was found filling low-cost liquor into empty bottles of expensive brands, sealing them with counterfeit caps and stickers, and selling them at inflated prices from a residential premises in the city’s eastern part.

The raid was carried out on January 19 at a house in Arihantbagh Society of Odhav, following specific intelligence received during routine patrolling aimed at curbing prohibition and gambling-related offences.

During the operation, police arrested Lakshmiben, also identified as Lakshmiben Shah (40), while her husband, Alpeshbhai Kanubhai Shah, who was named as a co-accused, is currently absconding. The total value of the seized liquor and materials has been estimated at ₹2.2 lakh, police said.

Officials recovered sealed bottles of various brands of Indian-made foreign liquor, around 33 litres of loose English liquor stored in polythene bags, nearly 30 empty bottles of reputed premium brands, matching bottle caps, and counterfeit brand stickers used to pass off the liquor as costly products.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused couple allegedly procured empty bottles and labels of well-known liquor brands, transferred cheap liquor into them after dilution, sealed the bottles with fake caps and labels, and sold them at higher prices to unsuspecting buyers.

A case has been registered at Odhav Police Station under sections of the Gujarat Prohibition Act, along with sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Further investigation is under way to trace the source of the liquor, identify buyers and suppliers, and apprehend the absconding accused.