Bhubaneswar: The Excise Department’s Special Enforcement Drive reached its tenth day with a sweeping crackdown that led to the seizure of contraband worth ₹1.46 crore across the state.
Authorities reported the detection of 224 cases and the arrest of 136 individuals involved in illicit liquor and narcotics trade. The drive yielded 11,572 BL of illicitly distilled liquor, 375 BL of duty-paid liquor and 07 litres of duplicate foreign liquor. Enforcement teams also destroyed 93,306 litres of wash used in distillation and seized 3,030 kilograms of Mohua flowers along with 25 kilograms of bhang. Twenty-one vehicles linked to smuggling networks were seized during the operation.
Narcotics enforcement was intensified with five NDPS cases registered. In these cases, officers recovered 11 kilograms of ganja and 479 grams of heroin. Officials described the sustained drive as part of a zero-tolerance approach aimed at dismantling illegal supply chains that endanger public health.
The Excise Department said the ongoing operation demonstrates its commitment to stronger surveillance, field intelligence and coordination with law enforcement agencies, reflecting a policy of strict action against both bootlegging and drug trafficking.
