Cuttack, August 24: The excise department has failed to check the Illegal hooch business in Cuttack despite frequent raids and arrest of hundreds of accused.
The excise sleuths have conducted raids on 193 illegal country liquor manufacturing units in six blocks of Cuttack districts and demolised. Similarly, at least 855 cases have been registered in this regard with arrest of 669 persons.
However, the excise department has failed to arrest any country liquor mafia despite arrest of hundreds of employees and labourers of the manufacturing units
Banki, Athagarh, Damapada, Tigiria, Badamba and Narasighpur blocks of the district have turned safe haven for country liquor mafias.
Several reports of attack on excise personnel during raid on illegal country liquor manufacturing units have been reported from these areas.
According to excise department reports, around 3,04,396 litres of country liquor have been seized from these blocks during the last two years. Besides, 3,24,000 litres of fermented liquid used in hooch making have been destroyed.
Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Friday announced that the government will bring a new excise policy for the state soon. The minister said he has taken illicit liquor trade as a challenge after taking over, and government has launched steps to bring this under control. He asserted the government has decided to crackdown on country liquor production and trade.
