Telangana Excise seizes 1188 bottles worth Rs. 25L in week-long illicit liquor drive; 33 held

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Excise Department concluded a successful week-long special drive against Non-Duty Paid Liquor (NDPL), seizing 1188 bottles of alcohol, 22 liters of beer, and 21 liters of country liquor. The total value of the seized items is estimated at ₹25 lakhs.

The operation, conducted from June 3 to 9, involved coordination between the Excise Department, STF, and DTF teams, along with excise station staff. Sixty-four cases were registered, resulting in 33 arrests and the confiscation of 19 vehicles.

Under the direction of Prohibition and Excise Enforcement Director Shanawaz Khasim, STF teams carried out inspections on trains from Delhi and Goa, seizing alcohol bottles. Near Secunderabad Railway Station, 40 liquor bottles were seized from suspicious individuals. Further raids in Vikarabad, in collaboration with STF teams, led to the seizure of non-duty paid liquor from the Vasco-da-Gama train.

Significant quantities of NDPL liquor, including imports from Goa, were seized during raids by AC Ranga Reddy and Shamshabad DTF teams. The Excise Department conducted raids across Shamshabad, Saroornagar, Malkajgiri, Vikarabad, Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Sangareddy, Medak, and Warangal Urban. Indigenous liquor was seized in Adilabad, Nirmal, Asifabad, and Kamareddy.

Director Shanawaz Khasim urged all teams to continue these raids to curb the illicit liquor trade and advised consumers against using non-duty paid liquor.