Ahmedabad Fake Liquor Sold in Expensive Bottles: Police Bust Counterfeit Liquor Racket

A shocking liquor racket has come to light in Ahmedabad, where cheap liquor was allegedly being repackaged in empty bottles of expensive brands and sold to customers as premium alcohol. The case has raised fresh concerns about the illegal liquor trade in Gujarat, especially amid the recent Bhavnagar hooch tragedy.

The Ahmedabad fake liquor sold in expensive bottles case came to light after the city police’s Prevention of Crime Branch (PCB) raided a house in Shahpur. According to police, the premises was allegedly being used as an illegal bottling unit where cheaper liquor was repackaged to look like expensive branded alcohol.

How Was the Fake Liquor Racket Operating?

According to the investigation, the accused allegedly collected empty bottles of well-known liquor brands and refilled them with cheaper liquor. Water and flavouring agents were reportedly used in the process before the bottles were sealed and fitted with labels to make them appear genuine.

The bottles were then allegedly sold as premium liquor, with customers reportedly being charged prices ranging from around ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 per bottle. Police recovered a large quantity of material from the premises, including sealed bottles, empty branded bottles, bottle caps, labels, liquor stored in containers and flavouring agents.

This means the fraud was not simply about selling cheap alcohol. The alleged operation was designed to make the product look like a costly branded bottle, potentially making it difficult for an ordinary customer to identify whether the contents were genuine.

Police Raid in Shahpur

The PCB conducted the raid at a house in Modhwadani Pol in Ahmedabad’s Shahpur area following information about the alleged illegal bottling operation.

The Ahmedabad fake liquor sold in expensive bottles operation allegedly involved several materials that were used to make the bottles appear authentic and ready for sale.

Police reportedly seized 227 sealed liquor bottles, 127 empty branded bottles, 100 bottle caps, 118 labels, around 22 litres of liquor stored in containers, flavouring agents, a hair dryer allegedly used for sealing labels, mobile phones and cash. The total value of the seized material was estimated at around ₹1.6 lakh.

Four people were arrested during the operation, while police said the alleged mastermind, identified in reports as Vicky Chauhan, was absconding at the time of the raid. A case was registered under provisions of the Gujarat Prohibition Act.

Why Is This Case Particularly Serious?

The biggest concern in an Ahmedabad fake liquor sold in expensive bottles case is not only financial fraud. The contents of such bottles may not be what the label suggests.

When an unknown or improperly prepared liquid is sold as branded liquor, consumers have no reliable way of knowing its composition. Any adulteration or unsafe substance can create serious health risks.

The issue has become even more sensitive following the recent Bhavnagar hooch tragedy in Gujarat, where several people died and others were hospitalised after allegedly consuming spurious liquor. Authorities have been investigating the source of the suspected toxic liquor.

Ahmedabad Police Step Up Action Against Illegal Liquor

The Shahpur case is not an isolated example of illegal liquor activity in Ahmedabad. Police have carried out several operations in recent months involving the transportation, concealment and alleged sale of liquor.

In another recent case, Sola police arrested a man after allegedly finding liquor bottles hidden inside geysers and an inverter. Police recovered 81 bottles valued at around ₹1.3 lakh.

Earlier, Ahmedabad police had also uncovered another counterfeit liquor operation in Chandlodia, where an accused was allegedly refilling expensive liquor bottles with cheaper liquor and selling them at higher prices.

The latest Ahmedabad fake liquor sold in expensive bottles case has once again highlighted the different methods allegedly used by illegal liquor networks to avoid detection.

What Happens Next?

The investigation into the Shahpur case is expected to focus on where the cheap liquor and empty branded bottles were sourced from and where the counterfeit bottles were being supplied.

The Ahmedabad fake liquor sold in expensive bottles investigation could also help police establish how the alleged network operated and how widely the products were distributed.

Police are also expected to examine the role of the alleged absconding mastermind and determine whether other people were involved in the supply and distribution chain.

For consumers, the case is another reminder that an expensive-looking bottle does not automatically mean genuine contents. Counterfeit packaging can make an illegal product appear legitimate, which is why authorities continue to investigate the wider network behind such operations.

Bottom Line

The Ahmedabad fake liquor sold in expensive bottles case has exposed how an alleged illegal bottling operation was using empty branded bottles, labels and other packaging material to sell cheaper liquor as premium alcohol.

With Gujarat facing renewed concerns over spurious liquor after the Bhavnagar tragedy, the Ahmedabad case has added another layer to the ongoing debate around illegal liquor networks and consumer safety. Police investigation is continuing to determine the full extent of the racket and identify everyone allegedly connected to it.

According to the Times of India report, police recovered 227 sealed liquor bottles and 127 empty branded bottles during the Shahpur raid. Read the detailed report on the Ahmedabad liquor racket

The case has raised fresh concerns about the illegal liquor trade in Gujarat. Read more India News for the latest updates from across the country.

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