Moonshine with a feminine touch
Women among suspects nabbed in raids on illegal
breweries :
Rasika SOMARATHNA
ANURADHAPURA: Excise sleuths busted a major illicit liquor racket
during the Poson season in Anuradhapura by taking into custody 34
suspects along with 3,960 litres of illicit liquor and contraband worth
millions of rupees.
The Government imposed a liquor ban in the Anuradhapura District from
June 27 to July 3 to coincide with the Poson season as thousands of
devotees flocked to the Holy City to take part in religious activities.
According to sources, the illicit liquor trade had been very
lucrative during the Poson season in Anuradhapura.
An Excise Department spokesman told the Daily News that with these
arrests, they had been able to prevent the distribution of the liquor
which otherwise would have been a major obstacle to pilgrims.
Excise officers raided 19 illegal brewing centres, 12 large scale
distribution centres and two illegal outlets including three major
distribution centres in the demarcated “Holy City” area.
The arrested including six women are to be produced in Court. The
raids were carried by a special Unit from Kandy led by Superintendent
Upul Senevirathne, OIC Rohana Ratnayake and Inspector Titus
Wijegunewardene on the instruction of Commissioner General of Excise
Parakrama Bandara Ekanayake.
The Commissioner General of Excise has deployed three special squads
to nab offenders and has ordered officials to strictly impose the rule. |