Lucknow, Jan 14 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh excise department has seized 4,248 litres of liquor, arrested 85 persons and filed 191 FIRs, during the ongoing enforcement drive to curb manufacture, sale and distribution of illicit liquor in view of assembly elections.

Additional chief secretary, excise, Sanjay Bhoosreddy said that during the drive, two vehicles have also been confiscated.

Excise commissioner Senthil C.Pandian said a joint team of excise and police officials recovered 267 bottles of illicit liquor from one Santosh Kumar in Hathras on January 11 and 12.

The liquor was meant for sale in Delhi and Haryana.

A joint team recovered 15 drums containing 3,040 litre of spirit, 161 crates of illicit liquor brands containing 7,245 quarters, 2,000 empty half McDowell No 1 brand pet bottles in a crate besides other material for manufacturing illicit liquor from Unnao.

An illicit liquor factory was identified, and two persons were booked.

In the third incident, 68,400 bottle caps were recovered from Farrukhabad, and the excise department is identifying those involved in illicit liquor manufacturing.