Illegal country liquor unit busted again at Salia Sahi in Bhubaneswar

An illegal country liquor manufacturing unit was once again busted in the Salia Sahi area of Bhubaneswar on Sunday, with the Excise Department seizing a large quantity of illicit liquor and raw materials during a raid. The operation was carried out as part of an ongoing enforcement drive against illegal brewing activities in the city.

During the raid, officials recovered a substantial amount of fermented mash along with materials used for producing country liquor. One room in the premises was found filled with multiple drums containing fermented mash, while another room had stoves set up for distillation. Officials said several drums of mash were confiscated from the site.

Investigations revealed that the mash was being prepared using poor-quality and rotten fruits such as oranges and pomegranates. An alcohol meter used to measure the strength of the liquor was also seized, along with other raw materials including sugar and yeast.

Salia Sahi Remains A Hotspot

Excise officials said Salia Sahi has repeatedly emerged as a hotspot for illegal country liquor manufacturing despite frequent raids and enforcement actions. Several illicit units have been detected and dismantled in the area in the past.

Deputy Superintendent of Excise Raj Sekhar Swain said a special drive has been underway since December 20, following directions from Odisha Excise Commissioner P Anvesha Reddy. “We have conducted raids several times in Salia Sahi. Acting on these directions, we carried out raids at three locations today and destroyed multiple distillation points,” he said.

Swain added that the use of rotten fruits to prepare fermented mash was extremely hazardous. “Such substandard ingredients are sometimes used to give a fruity flavour to the liquor, but they pose serious health risks as the fruits were completely spoiled,” he said.

Concerns Over Recurring Illegal Units

Salia Sahi, one of the largest slum areas in Bhubaneswar, is under regular surveillance, with excise raids conducted almost every month. Swain said that in this particular pocket, illegal brewing had remained dormant for nearly seven months following earlier raids.

“However, this time we found a newly constructed and well-built structure with separate rooms for fermentation, distillation and resting,” he said.

Also Read: Odisha Excise dept uncovers secret country liquor distillery in Bhubaneswar

Despite sustained enforcement efforts, the repeated resurfacing of illegal liquor manufacturing units in the area has raised concerns over how such activities continue to re-emerge, prompting the Excise Department to intensify monitoring and action.