Excise Dept Reports Major Decline in Illicit Liquor
Under the NDPS Act, 1,304 cases were registered this year
Hyderabad: The Telangana Excise department has reported major successes in its crackdown on illicit liquor and narcotics this year, destroying nearly 90 per cent of natusara (country liquor) production across the state. Officials said violations involving MRP, adulterated liquor and toddy have also been curbed significantly.
Addressing the annual press conference on Wednesday, Excise commissioner C. Harikiran said the department had intensified action against smuggling of liquor, ganja and drugs compared to last year.
During 2025, the non-duty paid liquor (NDPL) wing registered 1,141 cases, seizing 11,500 litres of liquor and 102 vehicles, worth Rs 1.15 crore. In 2024, 808 cases were booked, with 8,766 litres of liquor and 80 vehicles seized.
Under the NDPS Act, 1,304 cases were registered this year, leading to the arrest of 2,333 accused and seizure of 646 vehicles. Officials confiscated 5,505 kg of ganja and 1,646 ganja plants. Last year, 1,959 accused were arrested in 1,104 cases, with 6,400 kg of ganja and 736 vehicles seized.
Among the contraband seized this year were 72.54 kg of ganja chocolates (105 kg last year), 728.2 gm of MDMA (683 gm), 127 gm of heroin (151 gm), 228 gm of LSD blots (75 gm), 36.79 kg of alprazolam (28 kg) and 17 gm of diazepam (15 gm). Assets worth Rs 9.40 crore were seized in total.
The commissioner noted a sharp decline in country liquor production. While 1.07 lakh litres were seized in 2024, the figure fell to 67,000 litres this year, indicating that the trade is “almost on the verge of cessation.” Raids targeted raw materials, leading to the seizure of 3,07,557 kg of black jaggery, 31,981 kg of ginger and 2,204 vehicles.
Cases were registered against 13,369 people involved in brewing and selling country liquor, with fines amounting to Rs 1.39 crore. Raw materials worth Rs 3.38 crore were seized. NDPL also conducted 14 special operations against liquor, ganja and drug smuggling.
Special STF teams were deployed to monitor highways, as ganja smuggling from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and drug smuggling from Goa, Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi and Mumbai showed an upward trend. In December alone, 1,350 ganja smuggling cases were registered, compared to 1,104 in the same month last year.
Among notable seizures this year were 410 kg of ganja in Medchal; 425 kg of ganja and 1.2 kg of alprazolam in Nirmal; and 106 kg of ganja along with six pistols, 40 bullets and two vehicles in Palvancha — the first time arms were seized in an Excise case.
Other major hauls included 162 cartons of adulterated liquor in Suryapet, along with 860 litres of spirit, 7,814 labels and 11,800 empty bottles; and 205 kg of ganja concealed in a septic tank vehicle in Sangareddy.