Bootlegging thriving in parts of Karnataka: Minister

"I have information at which places hooch is being produced and sold. I want officials to crackdown on bootlegging and narcotics sale with immediate effect to end the menace", Renukacharya,told reporters here.

Speaking to reporters after performing pooja at his official chambers in Vidhana Soudha,State Secretariat, he said Rs 50 lakh worth of spirit illegally transported from Uttar Pradesh to Goa via Karnataka was seized in Belgaum on Wednesday.

Recently three kgs of ganja valued at Rs three lakh was confiscated at a village in Anekal taluk in Bangalore rural district, he said.

The minister, who last week raided a hooch den, situated two kms from the Superintendent of Police office in Belgaum, said "our excise officials fear that the bootleggers will attack them. Each district unit of the Excise department has only revolver", he said.However, he announced his resolve to check bootlegging and spurious liquor manufacturing.

Renukacharya, a dissident leader who was inducted into the B S Yeddyurappa ministry last month and assumed charge of the Excise department, said he would hold a meeting of excise officials in all the six excise divisions soon.