Over 20,000 kg raw material, illicit liquor seized in excise raids in Punjab

Hoshiarpur, Nov 13 (PTI) In a crackdown on interstate illicit liquor networks, the excise departments of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Thursday seized 20,800 kg of 'lahan' (raw material) and 450 litres of illegally-manufactured liquor following raids in the district, officials said on Thursday.

'Lahan' is the undistilled, fermented sludge -- often obtained from sugarcane or wheat husk -- used for making country liquor.

According to a statement, the operation was jointly executed by teams of the Punjab and Himachal Pradesh excise departments who carried out raids at several locations in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district which shares a border with Himachal Pradesh.

Raids were carried out near Hajipur and Talwara circles of Hoshiarpur district, covering villages such as Basantpur Bhumbla, Gagwal, Baroda, Dhamota, Mand Bajwa and Barota situated along the state boundary.

During the operation, 20 tarpaulins containing 1,000 kg of 'lahan' each and four plastic drums containing 200 kg each were recovered, amounting to a total of 20,800 kg of 'lahan', the statement said.

Additionally, 450 litres of illicit liquor -- 80 litres stored in plastic cans and 370 litres in plastic bags -- were seized by the officials, it added. PTI COR CHS SMV ARB ARB