Excise department seizes illicit liquor worth Rs 1.2 cr during Howrah raid

Kolkata: The state Excise department conducted a raid and seized fermented wash and illicit distilled liquor worth Rs 1.2 crore from Shankhabhaga area under Uluberia Police Station in Howrah on Thursday.

Excise officials involved in drives against illicit liquor on a regular basis claimed that such a huge seizure took place for the first time since 2022. The 15-member team comprising three supervising officers had assistance from the local police station during the morning raid from 4 am to 8 am.

An official said there are a number of distillation spots at Shankhbhanga area on the river bank. The department has conducted raids in this area earlier too. However, the offenders had escaped with the consignments on motor boats, taking advantage of the extremely narrow road leading to the spot and non-availability of motor boats with the department.

“We adopted a dual strategy during our raid. We positioned one motor boat with manpower at a strategic location on the river while our team conducted the raid. We seized a boat loaded with fermented wash and illicit liquor and another toto with similar consignment. Total of 26,000 litre of fermented wash and 3,200 litre of illicit distilled liquor was recovered, with the market value (including the boat and the toto) worth Rs 1.2 crore,” said the Excise official.

The team, however, failed to apprehend the toto driver or any other offender as they fled amidst the huge crowd gathering at the spot.

“We are trying to identify the owner of the boat from where the recovery was made and others involved in this business,” said the official.

Sources said, 3,500 people in three Gram panchayat areas in Piorpara, Hirapur and Dhulasimla are directly dependent on this illicit liquor business. The district administration is working to provide an alternative livelihood to these people.