VEHARI, Oct 10: The trade of locally-manufactured moonshine is on the rise in the district ahead of Eidul Fitr, but the district administration and police have failed to take any effective measure to check the menace, Dawn has learnt.

Dozens of distilleries are working round-the-clock in Luddan, Machiwal, Gagoo, Mitroo, Grahamore, Chakrala, Karampur, Tibba Sultanpur, Jalla Jeem, Dokota, Muslim Town, Pipli Adda, Sheikh Fazl, Sahoka, 9-11/WB, Thingi Colony and Garha Mor to meet their clients’ demand.

A bootlegger, of Dunyapur, anonymously said police had arrested him many times on the complaints of his business rivals, but he was released after paying Rs1,000 and a few bottles of liquor to the police every time. He claimed he and his other counterparts paid a monthly amount to police. He says he has been running the business for last 10 years, and on the occasion of Eidul Fitr the sale of his product increases manifolds.

He claimed that among his clients included a few officials of the district administration and feudal of Mailsi, Vehari, Khanewal and Multan.

Another bootlegger, from a minority community, said his family had 10 liquor permits and they stocked the item ahead of the Eid to make hefty profits.

A distillery owner, of Dokota, said that on the last Eidul Azha, police raided his factory and confiscated the material, but on the intervention of influential people, the matter was “settled” within hours.

The police claimed that they had raided several distilleries and arrested hundreds of people involved in the business last year.

But the ground situation speaks otherwise. More than 200 medical stores and hotels sell the local liquor. The liquor is reportedly sold for Rs200, to Rs350 per bottle. Besides distilleries, there are 200 liquor permit holders in the district, who offer foreign brand of alcohol or liquor.

Last year, eight people died in Dunyapur because of consuming moonshine. Four others died of liquor and a dozen were hospitalised in various parts of the district. The same year in Multan two dozen people, including one police constable, died after taking poisonous liquor. In 2003, eight people died of poisonous liquor in Vehari.

Dawn learnt bootleggers have started booking the orders for liquor to be supplied on Eidul Fitr.

Vehari District Police Officer Malik Tassaduq Hayat said police had arrested dozens of people involved in the trade on the last Eid, but a majority of them were bailed out. He said that despite struggle by the police the business was going on in the district. He denied the involvement of police in the business. He said the police would be on a high alert on Eid days to arrest bootleggers.