VIJAYAWADA: A major Non-Duty Paid Liquor (NDPL) supply chain was busted across multiple districts in Andhra Pradesh, leading to several arrests and the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit liquor. The State Task Force (STF), which led the investigation, uncovered that the network operated through private transport services and digital transactions. Authorities identified Chennai-based supplier S Prabhu as the key figure behind the operation, linking him to multiple illegal liquor distributions throughout the State.
The probe began with a breakthrough on December 27, 2024, in East Godavari district, when Rajamahendravaram (North) police seized 112 bottles of various premium brands and arrested Burla Balakrishna and Muppana Ravikumar. Discrepancies in bottle quality and cap types raised suspicions of counterfeit liquor, later confirmed to have been sourced from Prabhu in Chennai.
On January 8, 2025, the STF uncovered another NDPL case in West Godavari district, with Bhimavaram police seizing a car containing 25 bottles of premium liquor. Kommisetty Venkateswarlu, a key dealer, and four others were arrested. The liquor supply was traced back to Prabhu’s organised network.
The investigation extended to NTR district (Vijayawada) on January 12, 2025, where police seized 12 bottles of NDPL liquor and arrested two transport drivers linked to Venkataramana Transport. It was revealed that liquor shipments were smuggled from Chennai using private transport networks. Former and current managers of the transport remain at large, suggesting a well-coordinated operation.
In Nellore district, a major breakthrough came on January 13, 2025, when authorities seized 25 liquor bottles and arrested Muniswamy Nagaraju, a repeat offender who had previously been acquitted in a similar case in 2017. The liquor was confirmed to have been sourced from Chennai through private transport services.
Authorities identified S Prabhu from Chennai and Manikyam from Vyasarpadi as the two primary suppliers in the NDPL network. Their modus operandi involved taking orders via phone calls or voice messages, packaging liquor stock, and dispatching it through private transport services like Venkataramana Transport and SRKALT Transport. Payments were processed digitally via platforms such as PhonePe and Google Pay, with meticulous transaction records maintained. To avoid detection, they stocked liquor based on demand rather than maintaining large inventories.
A major turning point occurred on January 28, 2025, when Chennai police arrested the accused while he was attempting to supply NDPL liquor in Chennai. He was booked by Madhavaram police station and remanded to Puzhal Central Prison, Chennai.
Andhra Pradesh authorities obtained a PT warrant from the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Nellore, and dispatched a team to Chennai for further investigation. Excise Principal Secretary Mukesh Kumar Meena praised the STF and excise officials for their relentless efforts in exposing the NDPL supply chain. He lauded Excise Commissioner Nishant Kumar and Director of Enforcement and Prohibition Rahul Dev Sharma for their guidance.