Bootlegger arrested in Reasi, illicit liquor recovered

In a major crackdown on illicit liquor smuggling, the District Police in Reasi successfully apprehended a bootlegger and seized his distillation unit.

As part of their ongoing drive against drug abuse and illicit liquor, a police party from Police Camp Mora Mal received a tip-off regarding Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Moramal (Tuli), who was allegedly distilling and smuggling homemade liquor. Acting swiftly on this information, the police team conducted a raid on Singh’s residence.

The raid yielded significant results. The police recovered 1.5 liters of illicit liquor, along with 5 liters of “lahan” (fermented mash used for making illicit liquor) and various utensils used in the distillation process. Based on the seized materials, a case (FIR No 14/2024) under section 48(a) of the Excise Act has been registered against Singh at Police Station Chassana. Investigations are currently underway.

SSP Reasi, Mohita Sharma (IPS), lauded the efforts of the police team and reiterated the department’s commitment to eradicating the menace of drug abuse and illicit liquor smuggling in the district. She urged residents to collaborate with the police and share any knowledge of such illegal activities by calling the district police’s anti-drug helpline number (9070907017). The helpline ensures caller confidentiality.