Excise sleuths bust illegal liquor dens in city, arrest 5 | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Excise sleuths arrested five persons following raids on multiple illegal country liquor manufacturing units in and around the city on Saturday. The operation, part of a year-long crackdown on illicit liquor production and distribution, led to the discovery of around 1,145 litres of illicit alcohol. It included 200 litres of country liquor and 700 litres of illegally distilled liquor. Several liquor dens were busted during the ongoing enforcement, officers said. “On a tip-off, we conducted raids in Haladipadia Basti, Balianta, Phuleswari Basti, Bharatpur, and other locations, where making, stocking and distributing of illegal country liquor are flourishing. Huge quantities of illicit India-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and country-made liquor packed in bottles were seized,” a senior excise officer said.Excise sleuths said they first intercepted a car carrying country-made liquor and arrested two persons. Subsequently, raids were conducted in different parts of the city, and another three were arrested. The sleuths confiscated two cars and a scooter allegedly used for transporting and distributing the liquor. “The raids revealed a larger underground liquor network operating in and around the city,” the officer added.Sources said the state govt’s commitment to curbing the illegal alcohol trade, particularly in urban slums, was reflected in the enforcement action. “We launched further investigation to trace the origin of the seized liquor and identify other individuals involved in the racket. We urge citizens to report any suspicious activity related to the illegal liquor trade,” the officer said.According to govt data, in five years, 216,998 people were arrested in connection with illicit liquor manufacturing, sale, trafficking, drugs and other contraband sale and trafficking, out of which 49,598 are women. Out of the arrested, 5,210 are now serving jail terms in NDPS and excise cases, a recent assembly reply by excise minister Prithiviraj Harichandan revealed.Officials said arrests and cases registered showed a rising trend over five years due to stricter enforcement, with annual cases rising up to 2,000 in an excise district.
