Several teams of Punjab's excise department on Wednesday recovered 2.80 lakh kilograms of 'lahan', a?fermentation agent for brewing liquor and 100 litres of illicit liquor in Ludhiana, said officials.

The seizure was later destroyed on the spot.?To check menace of illicit brewing of liquor, an intensive search operation was carried out at areas-Talwani Nabad, Gorsia near Barundi, Bholewal Jadid, Rajapur, Khera Bet, Mazzara Kalan, Hakam Rai Bet, Sherewal, Baghian and Village Bahadur Ke, said an official spokesperson.

These areas, spanning about 40kms, are located on the banks of Sutlej river, he said. During the operation, the excise teams found that to distill illicit liquor from 'lahan', water from the sewage of various industrial units was being used. The teams also seized six quintals of wood, 15 drums and 12 bags of jaggery.

(With PTI inputs)