Bhubaneswar: Intensifying the drive against illegal liquor and narcotics, Excise Department seized contraband worth Rs 1.42 crore during statewide raids on a single day.
The coordinated raids, conducted across the state on Saturday, resulted in 264 cases being registered and 183 persons arrested, an official release said on Sunday.
The enforcement teams registered 17 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, seizing 251 kg of ganja, 317 grams of brown sugar, and nine kg of bhang.
This apart, huge quantities of illicit liquor and raw materials were also seized and destroyed. The seized items included 9,723 bulk litres (BL) of ID liquor and 60,630 BL of fermented wash.
The operations spanned both rural and urban areas, focusing on breaking illegal supply chains and dismantling hidden stockpiles on the spot.
The Department reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining this momentum in the coming weeks to curb the menace of illicit liquor and narcotics and to safeguard public health.