Illicit liquor dens raided

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

An attempt to sell a large stockpile of arrack without a permit and during the Vesak season was foiled following a raid on a residence situated close to the Moratumulla police station, police sources told the Sunday Observer.

The Central Anti Vice Striking Force (CAVSF), acting on a tip-off busted the racket involving stockpiling and sale of arrack without a permit during the Vesak season. A wealthy woman involved in the racket was taken into custody following the raid. Police found 80 bottles of arrack worth more than Rs.75,000 in her home. The woman had employed several persons to carry on with her illegal trade. Besides selling arrack, she also owned a furniture store in the area, police said.

Police sources said the racket had gone undisturbed for several years although her home was located about 500 metres from the police station. The woman had made a huge profit in the past during the season when all other liquor bars were closed. She had been engaged in the illegal business during the past 20 years apart from her legitimate business of selling furniture islandwide.

Last week, the CAVSF also acting on a tip-off, raided an illicit hooch distillery on the highway at Kal-eliya, Kandana and found 25 barrels of goda 1,050 gallons of unlawfully manufactured liquor and ten bags containing 25 kilograms of yeast. The suspect taken into custody was handed over to the Kandana police station along with the goda and the 10 bags of yeast worth more than Rs.175,000.