Surat: The special operations group of Valsad police arrested two men for allegedly possessing and selling ammonium chloride sticks in bulk for illegal use, with investigators suspecting the material was supplied to illicit country liquor breweries.The accused, Suleman Shaikh and Javid Shaikh of Segwa village, were taken into custody after a preliminary inquiry into the illegal distribution of the chemical.During a search conducted at a shed on a poultry farm, police seized 58 boxes containing 15,960 sticks. Each stick weighs around 10g.Police registered a case against the two under various sections of the Prohibition Act.“For one barrel of raw material, around 1,000 sticks are required and its primary role is to quicken fermentation. The accused were found selling ammonium chloride to liquor makers,” said a police officer.The investigation has widened to identify others in the supply chain. Police said they are probing the role of Jagdish Kalkattawala, a native of Talasari in Maharashtra who is currently living in Surat, in supplying the stock to the arrested men.Officials also named several alleged buyers who are suspected of purchasing the sticks from the accused for use in country liquor production. Those identified include Lata Patel, Dinesh Patel, Kanti Patel, Suman Patel and Kanu Patel. Police said further action will be taken based on evidence gathered during the investigation, and additional arrests are possible as inquiries continue into procurement, transport and distribution of the chemical.A preliminary investigation revealed that to trade in ammonium chloride, one does not need a licence, but in this case its illegal use was known to the accused. The quantity of the chemical is also a point that triggered a police investigation. Police said ammonium chloride is easily available at grocery stores as well, but it is normally bought in a small quantity for household use.
