Odisha Excise Dept Seizes ₹52 Crore Worth of Contraband in Special Drive

Bhubaneswar: In a targeted effort to curb illegal activities ahead of the General Elections, the Excise officials in Odisha conducted a special drive across the state, resulting in significant seizures. From January 1 to February 4, a staggering 6416 cases were uncovered, leading to the arrest of 5,254 individuals involved in liquor and drug-related crimes.

The crackdown yielded substantial results, with the confiscation of 1,463 kg of ganja, 2,424 grams of heroin, 366 vehicles, 2,07,888 litres of ID liquor, and 1,497 litres of other illegally transported liquor. The total estimated value of the seized items amounted to over Rs 52 crore.

Emphasizing the severity of the issue, the department detected 143 cases under the NDPS Act, resulting in the arrest of 153 individuals who were subsequently forwarded to court.

Furthermore, the Excise department undertook measures to impound vehicles utilized in illegal liquor operations. Since April 2023, a total of 3,369 vehicles have been seized, with 676 already confiscated, and the corresponding fines or sale proceeds have been deposited into the state exchequer.