Hyderabad, Nov. 15 -- Adapting to the Excise Department's crackdown on the supply of jaggery and sugar used in the manufacture of illicit country liquor, bootleggers in remote villages have allegedly found a new way of sourcing ingredients by ordering sugar-based substances online.

The Excise Enforcement teams stumbled upon the new method during a two-day special drive conducted in Mahabubabad and Thorrur mandals of Mahabubabad district. The bootleggers allegedly procured a substance called 'dry yeast', used in cakes and other food preparations, through online platforms and used it as an alternative ingredient in the preparation of illicit liquor.

With the department tightening surveillance on the sale and transportation of jaggery, whi...