Hyderabad: Shops selling liquor chocolates warned

Hyderabad: Shops selling liquor chocolates and liquor products without necessary permission are under the radar of the prohibition and excise department. The officials had raided two premises for selling and manufacturing liquor chocolates in their shops or kitchens. 

According to the officials, a few shops, especially the gift and novelty shops, are selling the liquor chocolates to public without obtaining necessary permissions from the department. Anyone selling liquor or liquor product without any licence attracts action under the Telangana Excise Act and is liable to arrest and prosecution. 

The liquor chocolates seized at Abids Road and Siddiamber Bazaar were manufactured in Denmark, according to the labelling, and were imported by a Delhi-based trader. “But as per the local laws it is prohibited. We are also checking with the manufacturer if the products were indeed supplied to the Delhi-based distributor. Sale of liquor chocolates without necessary permission amounts to violation of 34-A of the Telangana Excise Act, 1968. If found guilty, sellers are liable for three to five years of jail term,” said assistant excise superintendent N. Anji Reddy. 

“We have information that a few wholesalers are getting the products from various distributors across the country and selling it to local businessmen. A few persons are locally manufacturing without permission and supplying to the market. It is quite dangerous as they are not aware of the composition or the ingredients,” he warned. 

On Saturday, the officials raided at house at Ameerpet and arrested Gollapally Sreedhar for preparing chocolates locally using various brands of liquor. The man was making the liquor chocolates by mixing the chocolate ingredients with whisky and rum.