Bihar Police Intensify Crackdown on Illicit Liquor Trade with Major Seizures
In a significant enforcement drive, Bihar police have recovered a staggering 7.41 lakh liters of illicit liquor valued at approximately Rs 60 crore during the period from January to February 2026. This represents a substantial 18% increase in seizures compared to the same timeframe in the previous year, highlighting intensified efforts under the state's prohibition laws.
Year-on-Year Growth in Contraband Seizures
The latest figures continue an upward trend in enforcement actions. In the full calendar year of 2025, authorities confiscated a total of 37.75 lakh liters of liquor with an estimated worth of Rs 293 crore. This marked a 9% increase over the seizures recorded in 2024, demonstrating a consistent escalation in the state's crackdown on illegal alcohol trade.
Addressing media representatives at the police headquarters on Tuesday, Additional Director General of Prohibition and Excise, Amit Kumar Jain, detailed the comprehensive strategy. "The state has maintained large-scale operations under prohibition and anti-narcotics legislation while simultaneously restructuring its enforcement framework to enhance investigation capabilities, storage verification, and the systematic destruction of seized contraband," Jain stated.
Expanded Inter-State Operations and Arrests
The enforcement net has widened beyond Bihar's borders. Five liquor traffickers were apprehended outside the state and have been incarcerated until February 2026 as part of expanded inter-state coordination. This follows previous years' efforts where eight smugglers were arrested from outside Bihar in 2024, and 76 were taken into custody in 2025.
Organizational Restructuring for Enhanced Enforcement
In a major administrative overhaul in September 2025, the prohibition unit was separated from the Crime Investigation Department of Bihar. Concurrently, jurisdiction over narcotics and drug-related offenses was transferred from the Economic Offences Unit. These critical functions were consolidated under the newly established Prohibition and State Narcotics Control Bureau, Bihar.
This newly formed bureau has been mandated with strengthening multiple facets of enforcement:
- Intelligence gathering and analysis
- Search and seizure procedures
- Case investigation methodologies
- Legal actions under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985
Standard Operating Procedures have been meticulously prepared and disseminated to all districts. These SOPs comprehensively cover:
- Intelligence collection protocols
- Search and seizure documentation
- Recovery and sampling processes for forensic testing
- Case registration, arrest procedures, and investigative guidelines
Response to Recent Hooch Tragedy in Saran District
The enforcement actions gain urgency in light of a recent hooch tragedy in Saran district, where five individuals lost their lives and four others were hospitalized after consuming spurious liquor. Jain addressed this incident directly, confirming that "an FIR has been registered against ten named individuals in connection with this case."
Six suspects have already been arrested, including the primary accused, Suraj Mahto. Mahto sustained gunshot injuries after allegedly firing upon a police team during a late-night operation on March 15. Police teams are actively conducting raids at suspected hideouts to apprehend the remaining accused persons.
Forensic Analysis and Administrative Action
Samples of the seized liquor from the Saran incident were sent for laboratory testing. The forensic report confirmed the presence of methyl alcohol, a highly toxic chemical known to cause permanent blindness, organ failure, and potentially death.
In response, the district administration has registered two separate cases at Mashrakh police station and an additional two cases at Patepur police station in Saran district. Regarding the deceased victims, post-mortem examinations have been completed for two individuals, while the bodies of the other three have been handed over to their families after fulfilling all necessary legal formalities.
The establishment of the dedicated Prohibition and State Narcotics Control Bureau, coupled with the significant year-on-year increase in seizures and expanded inter-state operations, signals Bihar's firm commitment to combating the illegal liquor trade and enforcing its prohibition policy with renewed vigor and systematic precision.
