Fake foreign liquor worth Rs 77L seized in Odisha

In a major crackdown on illicit trade, Odisha’s Excise Department has busted a counterfeit foreign liquor racket, seizing fake spirits worth Rs 77 lakh during raids in Athgarh and Dhenkanal.

The operation led to the arrest of four individuals and the seizure of nearly 700 crates of spurious alcohol. Officials also confiscated a truck and bottling equipment, including bottles, caps, and labeling material, believed to be used in the illegal manufacturing process.

The breakthrough came when authorities intercepted a vehicle smuggling fake liquor from Athgarh to Nayagarh in Bhubaneswar. Interrogation of those arrested led officers to a clandestine factory churning out counterfeit foreign brands.

Subsequent raids uncovered large stockpiles of fake liquor ready for distribution. The Excise Department is now intensifying efforts to trace the kingpin behind the racket and identify the wider network facilitating the distribution of these fraudulent products.

This operation marks one of the biggest recent seizures in Odisha’s fight against the illegal liquor trade.

“We have seized over 6300 litres of illegal liquor, which is around Rs 77 Lakh in market value. At least four have been arrested in this connection while a vehicle used for the transportation of the alcohol has also been seized,” informed Dharmendra Mallick, Excise Commissioner.