Hyderabad: The Telangana State Task Force (STF) cracked down on a racket producing counterfeit liquor brand labels and excise adhesive labels (HEALs), seizing large volumes of material destined for distribution in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Following orders from Excise Commissioner Harikiran IAS and Enforcement Director Shawnawaz Khasim IPS, STF officials carried out the raids under the supervision of Joint Commissioner Qureshi and Assistant Commissioner P. Pranavi. This operation extended from ongoing investigations into the Huzurnagar spurious liquor case.
Acting on a tip-off, STF teams raided a house in Shiva Sai Nagar Colony, Kushaiguda, on Tuesday morning. The location was found to be printing illegal labels linked to Gaddameedi Naveen Goud, already in judicial custody in the Huzurnagar case.
Fake liquor label racket exposed with seizure of machines, HEALs, and pouches
During the raid, officers seized a flexo multi-colour printing machine, flexo plates, cutting dyes, and about 32,000 fake liquor pouches. The seized plates included labels for major brands like Royal Stag, AC Black, Old Admiral, Kerala Malted Whiskey, and Manjeera Blue. Officials also found semi-finished HEALs, adhesive paper rolls, and printing dyes.
They arrested two individuals on-site: Gaddameedi Prakash, a partner of Naveen Goud, and Nenavath Rajesh, his assistant. Investigators confirmed both had operated the printing unit for more than 18 months. They allegedly supplied counterfeit labels and HEALs to Ruttala Srinivas, who heads the illegal liquor network across three states.
STF officials said the two arrested men will be handed over to the Prohibition and Excise Station, Huzurnagar. They will be presented before court as A-10 and A-11 in Crime No. 189/2025. Excise STF Superintendent N. Anjireddy stated that the bust significantly disrupted the interstate fake liquor supply chain.
