An illegal country liquor manufacturing unit was once again busted in the Salia Sahi area of Bhubaneswar on Sunday, as the Excise Department seized a large quantity of illicit liquor and raw materials during a raid. The action was part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal brewing activities across the city.
During the raid, officials recovered a significant amount of fermented mash and materials used for producing country liquor. One room of the premises was found packed with multiple drums of fermented mash, while another room had stoves installed for distillation. Several drums of mash were seized from the spot.
Investigations revealed that the fermented mash was being prepared using poor-quality and rotten fruits, including oranges and pomegranates. Officials also confiscated an alcohol meter used to measure liquor strength, along with raw materials such as sugar and yeast.
Excise officials said Salia Sahi continues to be a hotspot for illegal country liquor manufacturing despite repeated raids. Several such units have been detected and dismantled in the area in the past.
Deputy Superintendent of Excise Raj Sekhar Swain said a special enforcement drive has been underway since December 20, following directions from Odisha Excise Commissioner P Anvesha Reddy. “We have conducted raids multiple times in Salia Sahi. Acting on these instructions, raids were carried out at three locations today and several distillation points were destroyed,” he said.
Swain warned that the use of rotten fruits for preparing fermented mash is extremely hazardous. “These spoiled fruits are sometimes used to add a fruity flavour to liquor, but they pose serious health risks,” he added.
Salia Sahi, one of the largest slum areas in Bhubaneswar, remains under close surveillance, with excise raids conducted almost every month. Officials said illegal brewing in this particular pocket had remained inactive for nearly seven months after earlier raids.
“However, this time we discovered a newly constructed, well-built structure with separate rooms for fermentation, distillation and storage,” Swain said.
Despite sustained enforcement efforts, the repeated resurfacing of illegal liquor units in the area has raised concerns, prompting the Excise Department to further intensify monitoring and action.
