In a significant crackdown, the Excise Department in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, raided an illegal country-made liquor factory, seizing toxic liquor worth over ₹10 lakh. The factory was allegedly preparing to supply poisonous liquor not only within Madhya Pradesh but also to neighboring states, specifically for the upcoming Holi festival.
The authorities acted swiftly after receiving credible intelligence about the illegal operations. The raid led to the confiscation of large quantities of substandard and hazardous liquor, which posed a serious threat to public health. The factory was found to be operating without proper licenses and using harmful chemicals in the production process, which could have led to life-threatening consequences for consumers.
Ahead of Holi, the state excise department is running a special prohibition campaign since March 1 to curb the manufacturing, sale and smuggling of illegal liquor. As per a senior official of the excise department, joint teams of excise, local administration and police officials were raiding locations where illicit liquor are manufactured and sold. To prevent inter-state smuggling, temporary check posts have been set up on national and state highways. As part of the drive, the teams conducted 31,176 raids, registered 3,556 cases, recovered 1.11 lakh litres of illegal liquor and destroyed 1.43 lakh kg of raw materials used in making liquor from March 1 to 11.