Two Arrested in Hyderabad for Refilling Premium Liquor Bottles with Cheap Alcohol

Two men, identified as Chikun Swain and Sonu Mahanti, were arrested in Hyderabad for allegedly refilling premium liquor bottles with lower-cost alcohol and passing them off as high-end brands at private events. The operation, run by an Odisha-based gang, targeted affluent customers seeking discounted luxury liquor, according to the Secunderabad Excise District Task Force.

The arrests followed a raid near Rasoolpura Metro Station, where officials recovered six tampered bottles labelled as premium liquor. A subsequent search at a suspected mixing unit in Madhapur yielded 41 filled adulterated bottles and 63 empty premium bottles of international brands, allegedly collected for refilling and resale.

Officials said the gang sourced empty bottles of high-end brands, refilled them with inexpensive liquor, and sold them as authentic to private parties and individual buyers. A third suspect, Prapul Kumar Naik, remains at large and is being actively pursued by the task force.

The excise department has launched a broader investigation to trace the distribution network and identify buyers. The court will hear the case during the next judicial session, and the seized samples have been sent for forensic testing.