In Late Night Raid, Cops Seize 2,100 Fake Liquor Bottles In Dry Gujarat

In a late-night raid in dry state Gujarat, police and crime branch officials arrested two persons for running a sophisticated counterfeit liquor manufacturing unit inside a residential property in the Budasan village of Kadi in the Mehsana district.

A joint operation launched by the Mehsana Local Crime Branch and the Kadi Police unveiled the illicit facility, with authorities dismantling the unit and seizing a massive stockpile of contraband.

During their raid, officials discovered two large tanks holding approximately 1,000 liters of ethanol, which was used as the base for the fake spirits. They further recovered 178 crates containing around 2,100 bottles of counterfeit liquor falsely packaged under premium brand names.

According to the Mehsana police, the operators running the facility blended hazardous ethyl alcohol with aromatic essences and bitter chemical agents to mimic the smell and taste of liquor. They even printed manufacturing dates, expiry dates, and specific regional distribution stickers on the bottles to cheat customers.

Officials further seized a complete assembly setup, including empty bottles, caps, and professional sealing machinery, from the scene.

While two individuals have already been arrested, police have launched a search for two other suspects who have prior criminal records related to bootlegging.

Legal proceedings have been initiated against the four key suspects under the Gujarat Prohibition Act, 1949, as well as relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The seized chemical samples have also been sent to the laboratory for forensic analysis.