Hyderabad: 4 Arrested for smuggling duty-free liquor

Hyderabad: The Prohibition and Excise District Task Force arrested four persons, including two policemen, who allegedly were smuggling duty-free liquor from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad, stalls and supplying in the market illegally.

The arrested M Gemya Naik (37), constable; Bhandari Lingaiah (36), home guard; P Raghavendra Rao (36), hotel manager; and G Harish Kumar (36), formed a syndicate and reportedly were smuggling duty-free liquor out of the airport.

“Gemya Naik, with the assistance of his associates, purchased the liquor from the duty-free shop in the airport. After smuggling it out of the airport at busy hours or during VIP visits, the gang was selling it to regular customers in the city,” said P&E officials.

On information, the P&E teams kept a watch and nabbed them. The police seized liquor worth Rs 15 lakh from them. While four of them were arrested and produced before the court, one of their associates, Maheshwar, is absconding. Efforts were on to nab him.