Raid on hooch

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

Two persons were taken in for questioning following a raid on two large illicit liquor distilleries in the Gin-Oya Wennappuwa area yesterday morning by the Anti Vice Striking Force (CAVSF) unit at Walana, Panadura.

Police found 843,750.00 litres of Unlawfully Distilled Sprits (UDS) and 102,500.00 litres of Unlawfully Manufactured Liquor (UML) in more than 80 steel barrels hidden along several tributaries of the Gin-Oya.

On receipt of information, a team of 25 officers from the CAVSF led by OIC Inspector Duminda Balasuriya arrived at the Gin-Oya bridge and raided two distilleries in the wee hours of yesterday morning. Several persons who were engaged in distillation fled when crackers were lit by informers to signal the arrival of the police.

However, the wife of the main suspect and another man at the distillery were taken in for questioning. According to sources foreign tourists who check into holiday resorts in the area are also being taken on guided tours to show these illicit distilleries by local tourist guides.

IGP Victor Perera had instructed DIG CAVSF, D. A. Fonseka, SSP Jayantha Perera and SP D. A. Ranaweera to raid the two distilleries.