Excise Officials Seize Huge Cache of Illicit Liquor, Cash from Hotel in Balasore

Balasore: The Excise officials have seized huge cache of illicit liquor and huge amount of cash from a hotel in Balasore district.

Based on a reliable information, the Excise officials conducted a surprise raid in Hotel Basundhara at Basta of Balasore district and recovered 1500 litres of illicitly distilled liquor and cash of Rs. 8,00,000 inside the hotel. In this connection, 5 Motorcycles and 3 scooters, apparently used for distribution of illicit liquor to different villages have also been seized.

The total value of seized articles is valued at rupees twenty lakhs. 10 persons namely Rakesh Behera, Nitai Das, Rajesh Ranjan Jena, Dhirendra Behera, Anil Das, Pratap Chandra Nayak, Kartika Rout, Nabakanta Behera, Budhiram Tudu & Laxman Murmu, who are involved in illicit liquor business have been arrested. This raid is considered one of the most successful raids in recent times. The raiding team was led by newly joined Deputy Superintendent of Excise C.H. Tirupati. Sanjit Barla, Inspector of Excise, Mobile Unit and Miss Diptimayee Sahoo, Inspector of Excise, Sadar and other excise staff took part in the raid.

A case has been booked vide P.R. No. 417/ 2023-24 of District Mobile Unit, Balasore and the investigation of the case is going on. The main accused persons Pratap Keshari Mohapatra &PralapMohapatra, who are running the Hotel, have absconded from the spot and the team is trying to arrest them. Involvement of many other persons are suspected in this organised illicit liquor distillation and distribution. It is also being investigated whether any licensee is involved in this illicit liquor business.

In view of upcoming Simultaneous General Election, excise raids have been intensified in the State and the raids will continue to bust the networks of illicit liquor mafias in the State, said Excise Commissioner Narasingha Bhol.

A licensed Bar and Restaurant in Khordha, an O.S. (Mahua Liquor) shop, two Country liquor shops have been sealed in view of the involvement of the licensee in illicit liquor trade. Similar strong actions will be taken against the liquor mafias in the coming days.