KOCHI: Last week, the city police officials arrested a 44-year-old man who was involved in illicit brewing at an apartment in Kadavantra. Denny Raphel, a resident, was selling arrack out of an unoccupied apartment in a five-story complex. The police seized 30 litres of wash, three pressure cookers, bottles, stove and LPG cylinders.
Just 24 hours after this incident, two more suspects were arrested from Elamakara on the same charges. Interestingly, the arrested — Jayesh,40 and Ayyappa das,41 — were brewing illicit hooch behind their house on Adayathu Lane, Elamakara. Around 1.5 litres of arrack was seized from the spot.
According to officials, such cases of illicit arrack brewing are on the rise across the city due to beverages remaining shut during the lockdown, and subsequent demand. Earlier, most of the seizures made were of large-scale brewing, which mostly happens in rural areas.
Lately, more cases where people are setting up small-scale brewing units at home for personal use is being reported in the city. Kochi city police officials said a special team under ACP Narcotic Cell has been deployed to check illicit brewing and drug peddling. “The cell was acting based on a tip-off received by the ACP when they arrested the duo from Elamakara,” said an official.
Low investment, high profit
Excise officers claim that those involved in illicit brewing make huge profits by selling small quantities to private parties. A couple of weeks ago, a gang was arrested by the special squad from Vyttila with 40 litres of arrack they were transporting in a car. Right now, hooch is being sold for up to `1,000 per litre, owing to high demand.
High alert
Excise Deputy Commissioner, T A Ashok Kumar, said, the sleuths are carrying out a special drive in the district to curb the inflow of liquor and drugs. The excise team seized a huge quantity of spirit from Kothamangalam and Muvattupuzha recently. But it is difficult to nab those involved in brewing arrack at flats and houses, added the official.
“These people cannot be nabbed through random investigations but could be intercepted based on specific leads from the customers. We are now trying to gather such information,” he said. Ashok added that the excise manages to get intel only when more than one person is involved in the brewing. “We can’t check every house and apartment for that matter. So for now, we rely on information from residents or witnesses,” he said.
NOT SO HOMELY
Even if it is done at home in small quantities, illicit brewing is a non-bailable offence under Abkari Act with punishment up to 10 years of imprisonment and a minimum of Rs. one lakh fine.