Jorhat cops seize 20k litres of ‘sulai,’ destroy 10 distillation units

Dibrugarh: In a major operation against the illegal liquor trade, Jorhat police seized approximately 20,000 litres of illicit country liquor, locally known as ‘Sulai,’ during raids conducted in the Teok area on Thursday.The crackdown resulted in the destruction of 10 distillation units and the confiscation of substantial quantities of raw materials used in bootleg liquor production.The operation targeted the entire production infrastructure of the illegal trade, with authorities seizing approximately 70-80 huge plastic sacks of molasses hidden underground and 30-35 drums of ‘Sulai’.“This is not a one-time operation — we will intensify our crackdown in the coming days with sustained raids across all vulnerable areas of the district.

We have identified several other locations and our teams are prepared to conduct continuous operations to ensure these illegal networks are completely dismantled,” Jorhat SSP Subhrajyoti Borah said.‘Sulai,’ a clear, colourless spirit traditionally brewed from fermented molasses or rice, has cultural significance in Assam’s tea garden communities. However, its unregulated production has transformed it into a deadly threat.

Illegal brewers frequently adulterate the spirit with toxic substances, including methanol, targeting economically vulnerable workers with dangerously cheap liquor.The operation on Thursday was a part of sustained efforts by Assam police to crack down on illicit liquor production following the devastating 2019 Assam hooch tragedy. That incident claimed at least 158 lives, primarily tea garden labourers in Golaghat and Jorhat districts, who consumed Sulai contaminated with methanol, liquid jaggery, and other toxic substances.The affordability of illicit Sulai compared to licensed alcohol makes it particularly attractive to daily wage earners and tea garden labourers, despite potentially fatal health consequences. Many consumers remain unaware that the liquor they purchase may contain dangerous adulterants added to increase potency and maximise profits for illegal brewers.Similar operations have been conducted across Assam in recent months. In Oct, Sivasagar district police dismantled 24 illegal liquor dens and seized over 4,000 litres of Sulai, along with manufacturing equipment and hundreds of kilograms of molasses.