Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown, Excise Department officials seized a huge quantity of illicit liquor and arrested five persons from various places of Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
Official sources said that raids were conducted in slum areas of Haladipadia, Balianta, Phuleswari and other locations, which are known hotspots for the storage and distribution of illegal liquor.
Several cartons of illicit Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) as well as country-made liquor were seized during the special operation. The liquor was illegally stored for black-market distribution across the city and nearby areas.
During the operation, five persons allegedly involved in the illegal trade were arrested by the Excise department officials. Besides the liquor, the officials also seized two cars and a scooter, suspected to have been used for transportation and distribution of the alcohol.
The estimated value of the confiscated liquor runs into several lakhs of rupees, indicating the scale of the illegal operation.
