Patna:
Nine years after the enforcement of liquor prohibition in Bihar, the state witnessed one of its most aggressive crackdowns against illegal alcohol in 2025. According to Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar, Bihar Police seized a record 3.63 million litres of liquor during the year and arrested more than 1.25 lakh people for violating the prohibition law.
Addressing the media, the DGP said that 1.899 million litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and 1.739 million litres of country-made liquor were confiscated in 2025. A total of 1,25,456 people were arrested under the prohibition law, marking a three percent increase compared to 1,21,671 arrests in 2024.
Increased Vigilance Against Spurious Liquor
Bihar enforced a complete ban on the manufacture, trade, storage, transportation, sale and consumption of alcohol in April 2016. Despite strict legal provisions, incidents of liquor smuggling and occasional deaths due to spurious alcohol have continued to pose challenges.
The DGP said that special surveillance is being maintained on spirit traders to prevent incidents of toxic liquor. In 2025 alone, 1,31,628 litres of illegal spirit were seized. He added that no major spurious liquor tragedy was reported during the year, which he described as a significant achievement of intensified monitoring.
Sharp Rise in Seizures and Arrests
Vinay Kumar noted that seizures and arrests related to liquor prohibition cases increased by 25 to 30 percent in 2025. He said police are also targeting properties acquired through illegal liquor trade to financially deter offenders.
Inter-State Operations Against Smugglers
The Special Operations Group (SOG) conducted 38 major operations against liquor smuggling networks in 2025. These included 15 operations in Jharkhand, 17 in Uttar Pradesh, four in Chhattisgarh and two in Madhya Pradesh. During these raids, police seized 29 heavy vehicles, 26 smaller vehicles and 2,27,182 litres of liquor.
The DGP highlighted that this marked a substantial rise compared to 2024, when the prohibition unit conducted only four such operations and seized 28,210 litres of spirit.
Action Against Illegal Assets
Police have also identified 289 individuals who allegedly accumulated assets through illegal liquor trade. Action against them will be initiated under Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which deals with attachment, seizure and restoration of properties linked to criminal activities.
The Bihar Police leadership reiterated its commitment to enforcing the prohibition law strictly, stating that sustained enforcement, financial crackdowns and inter-state coordination remain key pillars of the state’s ongoing “mega campaign” against illegal liquor.
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