Hyderabad: 5 arrested for smuggling non-duty-paid liquor bottles

Hyderabad: Five persons were arrested on charges of smuggling non-duty-paid (NDP) liquor illegally and selling it to customers across the city, on Wednesday.

The excise department officials along with the Ghatkesar police, in a joint operation, seized about 521 NDP liquor bottles worth Rs 12 lakh, two cars, a truck and other materials involved in the crime, amounting to Rs 48 lakh.

The accused were identified as T Harikrishna Goud, A Jagadeeshwar, A Surendar, B Sreedhar and P Balaraju.

According to excise department officials, Harikrishna Goud imported non-duty paid liquor from Goa and with the help of his associates and managed to smuggle it into the city via private vehicles.

Following a tip-off, officials of the excise department and the police raided various places in Boduppal, Siddipet and Nacharam and apprehended the suspects with the materials.