1-lakh litre ‘lahan’ recovered near Beas river in Tarn Taran

Officials said the accused involved in running the liquor producing and smuggling network managed to flee taking advantage of the marshy area

TARN TARAN: In a joint operation with Punjab Police, the excise department officials busted an illicit liquor manufacturing unit with the recovery of one lakh litre of ‘lahan’ (raw material to manufacture liquor) from the marshy area of Beas river between the Kirian and Marar villages near Harike Pattan town on Friday.

Punjab Police and excise department officials busted an illicit liquor manufacturing unit with the recovery of one lakh litre of ‘lahan’ (raw material to manufacture liquor) from the marshy area of Beas river between the Kirian and Marar villages near Harike Pattan town on Friday.

The department has also seized one working still (an apparatus used to distil liquid mixtures by heating), 11 iron drums (each containing 200 kilograms of lahan), seven plastic drums (each containing 100kg of lahan) and 18 tarpaulins from the spot.

Officials said the accused involved in running the liquor producing and smuggling network managed to flee taking advantage of the marshy area. “The accused had been smuggling the liquor in various villages of Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts. Our teams are working to identify the accused,” said an excise officer, who did not wish to be named.

Excise and taxation officer (ETO) Navjot Sood said, “We had a tip-off about the manufacturing unit. Our team with the help of the local police conducted early morning raid and seized the contraband.” He said a case under the relevant Sections of the Excise Act has also been registered against some unknown persons at the Harike police station.