Kerala Registers 6,977 Cases in Intensified Onam Excise Crackdown

Kerala has intensified its crackdown on illicit liquor, narcotics and tobacco violations ahead of Onam, with the Excise Department registering 6,977 cases and arresting 1,770 people during a special statewide enforcement campaign.

Excise Minister M Liju said the special drive, launched on August 1 amid expectations of increased consumption and distribution of illicit liquor, ganja and other intoxicants during the festival season, will continue across the state until August 31.

Of the cases registered, 1,394 were under the Abkari Act, 745 under the NDPS Act and 4,838 under COTPA. The department arrested 1,079 people in Abkari cases and 691 in NDPS cases. Seizures included 8,336 litres of spirit, 183 litres of arrack, 3,640 litres of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, 8,518 litres of wash and 410 litres of liquor from other states.

Officials also seized 66 kg of ganja, 2,423 ganja plants, 1 kg of ganja candy, 137 grams of hashish oil and 353 grams of MDMA and methamphetamine. More than ₹10 lakh in tobacco-related fines has been collected.

The enforcement drive has also exposed interstate illicit-liquor networks. Earlier this month, Excise officials in Payyannur seized around 7,000 litres of rectified spirit concealed beneath bran sacks in a Karnataka-registered truck. Authorities have strengthened surveillance along interstate routes and increased coordination with neighbouring states.

Meanwhile, Operation Thunder, the department's broader anti-drug campaign, has registered 34,397 cases and 7,816 arrests since the UDF government assumed office. The government has also decided to establish a State Narcotics Control Bureau within the Excise Department, described as Kerala's first such specialised structure.

Under Operation Shuddhi, launched on June 25, officials have conducted 12,923 inspections and collected 1,678 samples from toddy shops and tapping groves. Seven cases have been registered in four districts, while six licensed foreign-liquor establishments, including five bar hotels, faced action for violations.

Separately, the government approved an ex-gratia payment of ₹1.05 lakh for BEVCO employees. Liju said BEVCO's financial setback followed the earlier increase in the gallonage fee from five paise to ₹10, which resulted in a payment of more than ₹400 crore to the government. The government also plans to professionalise BEVCO, Travancore Sugars and Malabar Distillery. Discussions on the new Excise policy are continuing, with stakeholders to be consulted before a final decision.