Ahmedabad police seized 47 counterfeit liquor bottles and arrested 23‑year‑old Hemal Vaghela alias Heku Maheshbhai Vaghela on May 15, 2026, during a routine patrol in Krishnanagar.
The busted scheme involved collecting empty glass bottles, matching caps, and brand stickers, refilling them with foreign‑made liquor, and re‑branding them as premium domestic brands to sell at inflated prices.
Officers recovered 71 quarters, 15 beer cans, 322 empty labeled glass bottles, 118 empty plastic quarters, 293 caps, and 211 brand stickers, totalling more than ₹1.32 lakh in contraband.
The raid was prompted by a tip from Head Constable Rajendrasinh Balwantsinh, who reported suspicious activity near a storage unit behind a local shop.
While Vaghela faces charges of conspiracy and fraud, investigators are now canvassing the area for three accomplices—Bharat Kishonbhai Solanki, Vijay Hirabhai Solanki, and Sunil Ganeshbhai Solanki—who allegedly orchestrated the network.
Gujarat bans the sale of liquor, making this operation a blatant violation of state law; the crackdown signals a hard‑line approach by the Ahmedabad Police to curb illegal alcohol distribution.