Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s crackdown on narcotics has intensified dramatically over the last three years, with the Excise Department seizing drugs worth nearly ₹200 crore across the state.
In a written reply in the Odisha Assembly, Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said that from 2023 to October 2025, enforcement teams confiscated contraband valued at ₹197.5 crore.
The seizures included a staggering 89,723 kg of ganja, 87,829 grams of brown sugar, and 4,036 bulk litres of codeine-based cough syrup—reflecting the scale of the illicit trade.
What has raised eyebrows in the Assembly, however, is the department’s admission of internal complicity. Harichandan confirmed that 26 government officials were found to have links with drug trafficking networks. While five employees have already been dismissed, disciplinary proceedings are underway against 21 others.
The minister also acknowledged that enforcement efforts have been hampered by significant manpower shortages. As of now, six DSP positions, 15 Excise Sub-Inspector posts, and a massive 666 constable vacancies remain unfilled. Recruitment to these posts is in progress, he said, adding that strengthening the workforce is crucial to sustaining the anti-narcotics drive.
Even as enforcement struggles with shortages, the state’s excise revenue has surged. Collections rose from ₹5,400 crore in 2020–21 to ₹10,182 crore in 2023–24. In the current financial year alone, ₹11,429.74 crore has already been contributed through excise and GST from liquor sales. Odisha also recorded the sale of 840 lakh litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in a single year—an indicator of the expanding legal alcohol market.
Harichandan further informed the House that three fake liquor cases have been detected in the last 18 months, prompting tighter checks and routine inspections by field officers.
The contrasting developments—record narcotics seizures and soaring excise revenue—underscore the dual realities facing Odisha’s Excise Department. As the government doubles down on drug networks and illicit liquor, booming legal sales continue to provide a robust cushion for the state’s finances.
