Crackdown on hooch dens

Moonshine worth Rs. 4 Mn seized, 25 suspects in custody:

Rasika Somarathna

Southern Excise officials have launched a major crackdown on identified hot spots to quash the threat posed by illicit liquor, and as a result busted 18 illegal breweries and seven hooch dens, taking into custody 25 suspects along with illicit liquor and accessories worth over Rs. 4 million during the past few days.

According to Excise sources, in a raid in the Beraliya Mukalana forest reserve in Elpitiya area, sleuths busted five illegal breweries and took into custody five suspects along with brewing equipment worth over Rs. One million. The confiscated items included 42 barrels, 5,100 litres of goda, 155 litres of moonshine, five copper coils and a large haul of ammonia.

In another raid, excise sleuths busted five illegal breweries in the banks of 'Maduganga' in Balapitiya, taking into custody five suspects along with brewing equipment and liquor worth over Rs. One million.

The seized contraband included 140 litres of moonshine, 7,250 litres of goda, five copper coils and a large amount of ammonia. In separate raids conducted in Thalgaswala, Mapalagama, Waduramba and Kottawa, sleuths raided eight breweries and seven hooch dens, taking into custody 15 suspects.

They also seized 50 litres of illegal spirits, 5,120 litres of goda, 32 barrels, 16 litres of illegal toddy, copper coils and ammonia.

An Excise spokesman while claiming that they had intensified raids, said that the Southern Excise Special Unit had deployed flying squads into nab offenders under the instructions of Commissioner General of Excise D.G.M.V. Hapuarachchi.