258 persons held in over 3,000 raids to check illicit liquor

JAMMU: As many as 258 persons were arrested in 3,235 raids and 83,649 kgs country made liquor was destroyed in the drive against drug trafficking and illicit liquor in Jammu and Kashmir.

"258 persons were arrested in 3,235 raids and 83,649 kgs of lahan (illicit liquor) was destroyed this year during the drive against illicit liquor," officials of the State Excise Department told Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather here today.

The Minister, who convened a meeting of the Excise Department to review performance of its various wings during 2010-11, was informed that a penalty of Rs 14.92 lakh was recovered from the offenders.

Rather asked the Excise officers to conduct regular raids to check the menace of illicit liquor.