A team of special task police force uncovered a den for distilling araq, a type of liquor, in Jeddah's Al-Bawadi District after being tipped by undercover agents that Asian expatriates were producing and selling the illegal beverage, officials said. Information from the agents indicated that the primary suspect, a man who worked in a pharmacy, convinced his girlfriend to work with him and share the profit. He brought her to his apartment in Al-Bawadi where they worked together distilling the liquor. Their business quickly expanded so the man hired one of his countrymen for sales, officials said. For several days, the task force searched for the suspected bootlegger's den. The man was noticed at several locations that were placed under tight surveillance, officials said. After the investigators collected the information they needed, they caught the suspect red-handed with bottles of liquor in a handbag, officials said. The man denied the accusations, but the security men led him into the house, where he had tried to camouflage the room used as a distillery, and found tens of large blue barrels that were filled with liquor, officials said. Investigators also found distilling and fermenting equipment. Many bottles filled with liquor were ready for distribution, officials added. The suspect's female partner used to do the distilling while he sold the liquor from the pharmacy where he worked, officials said. __
