Sundaragada: In a major crackdown on illegal country liquor manufacturing and smuggling, the Sundargada Excise Department destroyed around 15,600 kg of Mahua pocha and seized 1,380 litres of country liquor during joint raid in Pithabhuin jungle on Wednesday.
As per reports, the raid was carried out inside the forest under Lephripada police station limits jointly by the Sundaragada Mobile Unit, Ujjawalpur Range and Hemgir Range of the Excise Department. During the operation, officials found huge quantities of Mahua pocha kept illegally inside the forest for preparing country liquor and destroyed Mahua pocha weighing around 15,600 kg and seized country liquors weighing 1,380 litres from the spot.
According to officials, the joint raid was planned after receiving inputs that illicit liquor was being prepared inside the forest for a long time. Though locating the brewing sites and destroying the materials inside the dense forest was a challenge, the officials and staff successfully completed the operation.
The seizure is being considered as one of the biggest actions by the Excise Department in Sundargada district. The department said such raids will continue in the coming days to curb illegal manufacturing and sale of liquor and to take action against those involved in the illegal trade.
The raid was conducted in the presence of Magistrate and Additional Tehsildar Kabita Kiran. Mobile Unit Inspector Niranjan Sahu, Ujjawalpur Range in-charge Excise Officer Rupesh Mukhi, Hemgir Range in-charge Excise Officer Sumit Kumar Sahu, along with Excise staff and Lefripada Police personnel participated in the operation.
Meanwhile, the Excise Department has launched an investigation to find out who are involved in the illegal trade and where the seized liquor was being smuggled to.
