Excise department, Uttar Pradesh police busts illicit liquor racket in Moradabad

Two people were arrested in connection with running bootlegging operations in the state after a joint raid by the Excise Department and Uttar Pradesh police, which busted an illegal liquor racket here on Friday.

The excise department raided 100 bootlegging centres in the state and recovered 215 litres of illegal liquor from them, the department said. It also destroyed 16,000 kilograms of chemicals used in producing it.

Two people were arrested and four vehicles were also recovered from the spot.

The officials said that the operation was part of a drive against spurious liquor trade in Uttar Pradesh.

"The drive had started on May 31 and it is one month long. These operations are being done under the direction of the senior Excise department officials", said Akhilesh Kumar, Inspector, Uttar Pradesh Excise department.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, this month had conducted a review meeting with excise department following Barabanki Hooch tragedy which claimed 18 deaths where he had warned the department that such spurious liquor incidents should not occur again.