Bhubaneswar, Jan 16: The Excise Department’s month-long special enforcement drive across Odisha has yielded significant results, with contraband worth Rs31.28 crore seized and hemp valued at Rs17.72 crore destroyed, officials said on Friday.

The campaign, conducted between December 20, 2025 and January 15, 2026, culminated in 6,090 cases, 2,756 arrests, and the seizure of 314 vehicles, they added.

On the 27th day alone, enforcement teams seized contraband worth Rs2.14 crore and destroyed hemp worth Rs30 lakh. Officials said the drive was aimed at dismantling illicit liquor production bases and curbing narcotics trafficking across the state.

During the campaign, 158 cases were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Seizures included 2,72,832 bulk litres of illicitly distilled liquor, 10,827 bulk litres of duty-paid liquor, and 1,557 litres of duplicate foreign liquor, underscoring the scale of illegal production and counterfeit supply chains.

A major focus of the drive was the destruction of production bases. Enforcement teams destroyed 24,54,108 bulk litres of fermented wash and 3,17,720 kg of gur wash on the spot, pointing to large-scale illicit liquor manufacturing. Raw materials such as 7,374 kg of mahua flowers were also seized, highlighting the disruption of upstream supply networks.

Narcotics recoveries during the period included 2,291 kg of ganja, 4,844 grams of brown sugar, 316 kg of bhang, and 166 litres of cough syrup. The Department also booked 18 cases relating to illegal hemp cultivation, reflecting its focus on narcotics eradication alongside liquor enforcement.

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Officials noted that the drive demonstrates the state’s determination to crack down on illicit trade and safeguard public health. The campaign combined field-level enforcement with intelligence-led operations, ensuring that both supply chains and production bases were targeted.

The Excise Department said the outcomes of the drive would serve as a deterrent to illegal operators and reinforce the government’s commitment to strict enforcement under existing laws.