Water plant turns out to be illegal liquor factory; 18,575 bottles seized

Colombo, June 30 (Daily Mirror) - A large-scale illegal liquor manufacturing operation disguised as a bottled drinking water business has been busted in Kaduwela, with police seizing more than 18,500 bottles of illicit liquor and arresting six suspects during a raid.

Acting on intelligence, officers attached to the Western Province North Crime Division carried out the raid on Saturday at a property on Sudarshana Road in Kaduwela.

Police discovered that the premises, which operated as a drinking water business, was allegedly being used to manufacture illegal liquor.

Police recovered 18,575 bottles (180 ml each) of locally manufactured liquor, amounting to 3,345.5 litres, along with four one-litre bottles and one 750 ml bottle labelled as foreign liquor.

Police also seized a bottle of ethanol believed to have been used in the production process, a range of liquor manufacturing equipment, and a quantity of narcotics comprising 50 grams and 200 milligrams of Kerala cannabis.

The six suspects, aged 30, 43, 58, 59 and 62, are residents of Mihintale, Maradana, Wattala, Webada South, Getalawa and Sippikulama.

Police suspect the operation had been running on a commercial scale and are investigating whether the illicit liquor was being distributed to multiple areas under the cover of the legitimate business.

Further investigations are being conducted by the Western Province North Crime Division.