In a significant crackdown on the illicit liquor trade, the Bokaro district police on Tuesday uncovered and dismantled a clandestine liquor manufacturing operation. The raid was conducted at an under-construction house located in the Purvabhita area under Kanjkiro village, which falls within the jurisdiction of the Pek Narayanpur police station.
Major Haul and Arrest in Kanjkiro Village
Acting on intelligence, a police team led by Bokaro Superintendent of Police (SP) Harvinder Singh carried out the operation. The raid resulted in the arrest of one individual identified as Suresh Mahto, a resident of Kanjkiro village, who is alleged to be involved in the illegal liquor business. From the site, law enforcement officials confiscated a substantial quantity of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), totalling 24.06 litres across several sealed bottles.
Extensive Seizure of Manufacturing Materials
The police discovery went far beyond just finished liquor products. The raid unveiled a well-equipped setup intended for large-scale illegal production. Authorities seized approximately 800 empty glass liquor bottles that were packed in 20 plastic sacks, indicating preparation for future bottling.
Furthermore, the confiscated items included a diverse array of equipment and materials essential for the operation:
- A large 200-litre plastic drum.
- Around 120 empty plastic bottles of various sizes.
- Two 40-litre plastic jars.
- Twenty water jars, each with a 20-litre capacity.
- About 200 carton pieces for packaging.
- Several chemical flavouring agents used to mimic branded liquor.
- An iron-and-steel liquor manufacturing apparatus, the core equipment for production.
Evidence Points to Sophisticated Illegal Operation
Perhaps the most telling finds were items used to pass off the illicit alcohol as legitimate, branded products. The police recovery included bottle caps, stickers, and barcodes belonging to various established liquor brands. This discovery strongly suggests that the unit was engaged in a sophisticated counterfeit operation, designed to deceive consumers and distribute the illegal liquor on a significant scale.
SP Harvinder Singh emphasized that the seizure of these branding materials points to a large-scale illegal operation with clear intent to mimic genuine market products. The investigation is ongoing to uncover the full network of suppliers and distributors linked to this illicit manufacturing unit.
This successful raid underscores the continued vigilance of the Bokaro police against the dangerous and unlawful liquor trade, which poses serious health risks to the public and causes revenue loss to the state exchequer.
