Machilipatnam: As many as 72 people were arrested on Tuesday following raids by Prohibition and Excise department at illicit liquor brewing centres in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna and West Godavari districts, officials said.
During the raids, the officials seized 1,600 litres of illicit liquor, Deputy Commissioner, Excise and Prohibition Department, Y B Bhaskara Rao said. The officials also destroyed 18,900 litres of jaggery wash seized from the liquor brewing centres, he said.
Four motorcycles were also seized during the raids, he said adding that 80 cases have been filed in both the districts in this connection. Giving the break-up of the raids and arrests, he said.
16 teams of the department conducted raids in Jaggaiahpet, Vissanapet, Vatsavi, Musunuru and Buntumilli mandals of Krishna district from where 34 people were arrested and 900 litres of illicitly distilled liquor was seized.
In West Godavari district, raids were conducted in Mogulturu, Chintalapudi, Polavarm, Buttaigudem and Kamvaraputhota mandals from where 38 people were nabbed and 700 litres of liquor was recovered, Rao said.
The arrested persons were later produced before court, he added. The raids were conducted as a part of the state-wide crackdown to have an 'arrack-free' state.
