Maharashtra: Manpada Police busts illicit liquor kiln in Dombivli, owner booked

The Manpada Police in Dombivli area of Maharashtra have busted an illicit liquor kiln and have registered a case against the person operating it.

The police officials later demolished the illicit liquor kiln, the police said on Monday.

The police seized approximately 235 liters of illicit liquor and other materials worth Rs 1.67 lakhs, an official said.

The Manpada police have registered a case against the owner of the liquor kiln who was identified as Nilesh Patil, 26, under relevant sections of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act and are further investigating the matter, the official added.

With the upcoming Lok Sabha election 2024 nearby, all police stations across Thane are instructed to take action against illegal weapons, the sale of illicit liquor or illegal liquor, narcotic drugs, and other illegal activities. Assistant Police Inspector Prashant Andhale and his detection team from Manpada received information about an illicit liquor kiln operating in a forest area within the Manpada jurisdiction, the police said.

“It was being operated by Nilesh Patil, 26, a resident of Kolgaon Dombivli. Information was received through sources that this village was installing a hand furnace and filtering alcohol from it,” said a police officer.

According to the police, on March 17 at around 5 pm, Prashant Andhale and the police staff of Manpada Police Station officials went to Kolgaon and busted the illicit liquor kiln in the drain behind a hotel.

The police seized a plastic drum with 35 liters of liquor worth Rs 5,000. Another drum with a capacity of around 200 liters containing 200 liters of liquor was seized, worth Rs 1.40 lakh, an official said.

An empty iron tank with a capacity of 500 liters worth Rs 8,000, along with other engines and materials, was seized, totaling Rs 1.67 lakhs, he said.

The Manpada Police team also destroyed the manufacturing materials and the illicit liquor seized from the spot, the official said.