Hyderabad: 1 held for making liquor chocolates

Hyderabad: In a major crackdown on Friday, the excise department police arrested a person who was illegally manufacturing liquor chocolates at his residence in Asifnagar and supplying them to companies. The officials seized a whiskey bottle and cocoa powder from the accused.

Police said the accused, P. Pradeep Kumar, 36, used to sell plastic bags before entering the liquor chocolate business two years ago to cash in on the rising demand.

Asifnagar inspector K. Karuna Reddy said the accused used to manufacture whisky chocolates at his house. The sale of liquor chocolates without necessary permission amounts to violation of 34(A) of the Telangana Excise Act, 1968. Those found guilty face three to five years in jail.

Kumar advertised the liquor chocolates on the b2b website Indiamart. With a tip-off from there, excise officials raided his residence in Gayathrinagar at 7.30 pm on Friday and caught him.

The police have also seized 10 kg of cocoa powder, 2 kg of liquor chocolates, two essence bottles and one moulding tray.