The arrest of three people for selling duplicate duty-free Scotch bottles has helped the state excise department unearth an international racket. The accused illegally imported duty-free bags, empty cartons of 1-ltr branded Scotch, bottle caps and labels from China, said the customs officials. They then bottled duplicate alcohol in bottles bought from scrap dealers and sold them in posh localities of the city at half the original price.

The customs department said the gang imported the items by cargo via air or sea route. The excise department officials arrested two accused — Mahendra Nagrshwar Yadav, 38, and Sudhir Velayuddin Thiyya, 36 — on September 20 and seized a taxi that they used to deliver the alcohol after taking orders through WhatsApp. The officials later arrested the third accused identified as Biju Gangadhar Thiyya, 35, and fake duty-free Scotch worth Rs 8.64 lakh from them.