Hooch selling like hot cakes in the time of the coronavirus

The ban on alcohol during the COVID-19 lockdown appears to have revived the illicit liquor trade, especially in the rural parts of Karnataka.

With many drinkers showing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, hooch traders have become active again. Hooch is an alcoholic drink that’s inferior or illicitly made.

Excise department officials have seized thousands of litres of hooch and raw materials used to manufacture it from different districts of the state.

A senior official estimated that each packet of hooch is being sold for anywhere between Rs 100 and Rs 300. The department has pressed in 13 special squads that are working overtime to crack down on the hooch sale.

According to the officer, most of the cases have surfaced from Belagavi, Udupi, Dharwad, Shivamogga, Mysuru, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts.

The officer regretted that people were consuming hooch despite being aware of its dangers to health.

Ravindra M, Deputy Commissioner (Excise), Bengaluru Rural, said there had been no case of hooch sale in the Bengaluru division since 2010.

Hooch during the lockdown

Excise department officials have been seizing hooch since March 24, the day the lockdown was announced. Here’s what they have caught so far

Udupi: 115 litres of rotten fruit juice and a few vehicles used to transport them.

Belagavi: 114 cases registered against hooch manufactures; 48 litres of hooch seized and 74 people arrested.

Hubballi: 33 litres of liquid raw materials seized and five cases registered.

Dharwad: Hundreds of litres of liquid raw materials seized.

Uttara Kannada: 12 litres of hooch seized and four people arrested.

Shivamogga: Cases registered in Soraba, Sagara, Thirthahalli and Hosanagara taluks.