Dumka: Two persons were arrested, and 44 cartons of illicit liquor were seized as excise department officials busted an illegal liquor manufacturing and distribution racket by raiding two locations under Devipur police station limits of Deoghar district in an early-morning raid on Friday.The recoveries included 44 cartons of liquor, 20 litres of spirit and a large quantity of empty bottles and packaging materials. The accused, identified as Ranjit Kumar (24) and Nathni Verma (36), were arrested near Kubri village and Kubri More and were booked under sections of the Jharkhand Excise Act.Ranjit was arrested during the raid at Kubri village. The team seized 39 cartons containing 351 litres of foreign liquor of 375 ml capacity, 20 litres of spirit, eight empty jerrycans, around 500 empty bottles packed in eight sacks, empty cartons and a mobile phone. Ranjit is a resident of Sarwan police station limits.In a second raid, Verma was arrested near Kubri More. Over 45 litres of liquor were recovered from the spot, officials said.Excise superintendent Bimla Lakra said the coordinated raids were conducted following a tip-off. “Cases have been registered against the arrested persons and other accused, and efforts are underway to arrest those who fled,” Lakra said.Investigators are probing the source of the liquor and raw materials, the distribution network and possible interstate smuggling links, particularly into neighbouring Bihar, where alcohol is prohibited.
