Yogi govt intensifies crackdown on illegal liquor business across Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow : Following Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s directives, a major crackdown on the illegal liquor trade is underway across Uttar Pradesh. Joint operations by the Excise Department, Police, and administrative teams have led to extensive raids, vehicle checks, and secret investigations, resulting in the seizure of 5,838.57 litres of illicit liquor-including country-made, Indian-made foreign liquor, and raw liquor and the arrest of several offenders across multiple districts.

Joint teams of the Excise Department and Police carried out extensive raids in rural areas across several districts including Moradabad, Sitapur, Unnao, Gorakhpur, Sultanpur, Pilibhit, Gonda, Balrampur, Bahraich, Hardoi, Kushinagar, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Lakhimpur Kheri, Jhansi, Rampur, Prayagraj, Ambedkar Nagar, Barabanki, Siddharthnagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Muzaffarnagar, Lalitpur, Mainpuri, Basti, Meerut, Mirzapur, Shravasti, Jaunpur, Sonbhadra, Fatehpur, Hamirpur, and Bareilly.
Among the districts, Lakhimpur Kheri reported the highest seizures. In Jhansi, authorities recovered 590 litres of illicit raw liquor during operations.

In Unnao, raids in villages like Champa Purwa, Mohan, Nyotani, Shakurabad, Rampur, Mawaiya, Kedar Kheda, and Rasoolpur Majhgwa led to the seizure of 280 liters of illegal liquor and the destruction of 700 kilograms of lahan.

Similarly, in Lakhimpur Kheri, operations in villages such as Gulouli Basbirwa, Basantapur, Kusmi Colony, Bhatpurwa, Baikuan Rahjaniya, Nayagaon, and Jamuniya Kadhile resulted in the confiscation of 300 liters of illegal liquor and the destruction of 1,270 kilograms of lahan.

Excise teams also uncovered illegal liquor production at brick kilns in Gorakhpur, Sultanpur, Pilibhit, and Deoria. In Gorakhpur-Deoria, authorities seized 20 liters of raw liquor and destroyed 100 kilograms of lahan. In Sultanpur, 35 liters of illegal liquor were seized, and 150 kilograms of lahan were destroyed.

At the Uttarakhand-Muradabad border, the Assistant Excise Commissioner (EIB) conducted intense vehicle checks to stop liquor smuggling. Similar checks were carried out at the Bijnor-Muradabad border and Delhi-Muradabad Zero Point, preventing illegal liquor transport. In Unnao, 134.97 bulk liters of foreign liquor from Haryana were seized from two cars near the Jogi Kot Underpass on the Agra Expressway, leading to the arrest of three smugglers.

The crackdown also resulted in the large-scale destruction of lahan, which is used in the production of illegal liquor. A total of 16,280 kilograms (162.8 quintals) of lahan were destroyed across various districts, with major operations in Lakhimpur Kheri (1950 kg and 1750 kg) and Jhansi (1000 kg).

A total of 28 individuals were arrested during the operation. Arrests included three women and four others in Unnao, two women in Jhansi, one person in Pilibhit, and three people in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Lalitpur, Hamirpur, and Fatehpur. Additionally, three smugglers were arrested in Unnao for smuggling foreign liquor.

District Excise Officers in Rampur and Muzaffarnagar also conducted surprise inspections at liquor shops. In Rampur, inspections were carried out at the Bilaspur wholesale license (FL2) and liquor shops, where vendors were warned against overpricing and instructed to conduct sales via POS machines. In Muzaffarnagar, shops at the Morna Sugar Mill and Desi-Composite liquor stores were inspected, and physical verification of the syrup quantity was conducted. Shops were directed to display rate lists, toll-free numbers, and QR codes.

The excise teams also conducted confidential test purchases to investigate overpricing and illegal sales in various districts.