Hooch unit unearthed in Mirzapur

Varanasi: In a joint operation, Mirzapur police and excise department officials unearthed a hooch manufacturing unit in Goshala premises in Pandeypur Lathiyahva area under the limits of Dehat Kotwali police station on Tuesday night.
Police have arrested six persons while four including the kingpin of the gang managed to escape. Police have recovered prepared and bottled hooch which is sold under the name of big brands of country liquor on licensed shops and articles worth rupees 27 lakhs used for manufacturing.
Providing details of the action, SP Mirzapur Dharmvir Singh said, “On getting inputs regarding manufacturing of hooch at a large scale, a joint team of police and excise department officials was formed, which raided a Goshala owned by Keshav Gupta in Pandeypur Lathiyahva locality on Tuesday night. During the raid, six persons were arrested. However, the kingpins of the gang-Anup Malviya and Rakesh Gupta along with two other members-Kamlesh and Pankaj Maurya managed to escape.
During the raid, police recovered 4400 litres of spirit packed in 80 drums, 2233 filled bottles of illicit liquor, two cars, one SUV, one e-rickshaw, lables of country liquor brands, cash worth Rs 23,000, barcode stickers, chemical colours, empty bottles, caps, empty bottles and other packaging materials from the spot. The total cost of recovered articles was estimated to be Rs 27.75 lakhs.