From jaggery to yeast, illegal liquor recipes change to escape raids

Hyderabad: Adapting to the Excise Department’s crackdown on the supply of jaggery and sugar used in the manufacture of illicit country liquor, bootleggers in remote villages have allegedly found a new way of sourcing ingredients by ordering sugar-based substances online.

The Excise Enforcement teams stumbled upon the new method during a two-day special drive conducted in Mahabubabad and Thorrur mandals of Mahabubabad district. The bootleggers allegedly procured a substance called ‘dry yeast’, used in cakes and other food preparations, through online platforms and used it as an alternative ingredient in the preparation of illicit liquor.

With the department tightening surveillance on the sale and transportation of jaggery, which is commonly used in country liquor production, some manufacturers reportedly switched to sugar. When the Excise teams also stepped up checks to prevent the supply of sugar for the purpose, they allegedly turned to online purchases of alternative ingredients.

The teams also found that the illicit liquor-making solution was being stored in agricultural fields, including cotton and chilli plantations, instead of at the actual manufacturing locations. The substance was reportedly concealed in fields and used in small quantities to prepare illicit liquor for sale, apparently to avoid detection.

Acting on the information, Excise Enforcement Director Avinash Mohanty mobilised 17 teams comprising four State Task Force teams from Hyderabad, Enforcement teams, District Task Force teams, local Excise personnel and police. The teams conducted coordinated searches in 42 villages over two days and destroyed the concealed liquor-making solution.

During the operation, the teams registered 64 cases and arrested 36 persons, while another 40 were bound over. They seized 217 litres of illicitly distilled liquor and destroyed 9,450 litres of fermented wash used in its manufacture. The teams also seized 565 kg of jaggery, 25 kg of alum and six vehicles.

The operation was supervised by Excise Enforcement Joint Commissioner Anjan Rao, Warangal District Deputy Commissioner Datta Raj Goud, Assistant Commissioner K Naveen Kumar and ES Karamchand.

Mohanty said the department was intensifying its operations to completely eradicate illicit liquor production in remote areas. Special drives were also being conducted against substances used in the manufacture of illicit liquor and adulterated toddy, he said.

Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News, Technology, Entertainment, Sports, Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS.