Moonshine business run with Excise license in hand

• The illicit liquor manufacturing plant had been carried out in the guise of operating a toddy collection point

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   

The police in Kalutara raiding an illicit liquor manufacturing den had made a startling recovery that the perpetrators had been carrying on the business for a long time under the nose of the authorities, with an excise license in hand.    

Kalutara Divisional Crime Detective Bureau on following a lengthy probe had raided the illicit liquor manufacturing plant, which had been carried out in the guise of operating a toddy collection point.   

The police arrested three men from the crime scene and had taken into custody stocks of illicit spirits and equipment used for the production.   

Amongst the seized items were 17,000 litres of Goda (semi brewed liquor), seven vessels that could hold up to 2,000 litres, four water pumps and many other distilling equipment.   

The police also took a lorry used to distribute Kasippu in the surrounding areas of Aluthgama, Kalawila, Benthara and Beruwala into custody.   

According to police investigators the suspects had owned an excise license to collect toddy for the local liquor manufacturing industry but they had used it as a cover up to make illicit liquor.  State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya speaking at the Parliament recently said that owing to the exorbitant prices of authorized liquor the consumers are moving towards illicit products.  The suspects were to be produced before Kalutara Magistrate’s Courts yesterday.   

• The suspects had owned an excise license to collect toddy for the local liquor manufacturing industry