Vijayawada: In one of the largest coordinated operations against illicit liquor in recent times, 381 officers from Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring states conducted sweeping raids across border regions, targeting high-risk brewing zones and smuggling routes.
The large-scale crackdown, part of Navodayam 2.0, was spearheaded by the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition & Excise Department under the directive of principal secretary Mukesh Kumar Meena, with commissioner Nishant Kumar and enforcement director Rahuldev Sharma leading from the front.
The multi-state enforcement blitz involved 228 officers from Andhra Pradesh and 153 officers from Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, focusing on dismantling unauthorised distillation units and curbing the growing menace of cross-border liquor smuggling.
In Srikakulam district, on April 11, a combined team of 132 officers (52 from AP and 80 from Odisha) launched operations in Ichapuram, Narasannapeta, and Palasa, as well as Odisha’s Chikudi and Jarda. Key hotspots—Potkasing, Budajola, and Gongapur—were raided, resulting in the destruction of 26,500 litres of FJ wash, seizure of 1,750 litres of ID liquor, and 100 kg of jaggery. Twelve cases were booked.
In Parvathipuram Manyam district on April 7-8, joint teams of 86 officers raided brewing hubs in Eguva Bothadapalli, Jayakota, and Kutrubankidi near the Odisha border. They destroyed 22,900 litres of FJ wash, seized 260 litres of ID liquor, and recovered 15 kg of ammonia. Nine cases were filed.
In Alluri Sitharama Raju district on April 3, operations targeting Gunduvari Gudem and Pichhukulapadu on the Telangana border involved 120 officers, leading to the destruction of 25,300 litres of FJ wash, seizure of 260 litres of ID liquor, 120 kg of jaggery, and 10 kg of ammonia. An earlier raid in Dec 2023 in Valuvua and Kerada already netted 200 litres of ID liquor and 11,200 litres of FJ wash. Three cases were registered in total.
In Chittoor district on April 5, collaborating with Tamil Nadu authorities, AP teams targeted Ramakuppam Mandal’s Devaraja Kuppam and Kornala Thanda corridor. Though no active liquor production was found, 50 brewing setups were dismantled based on actionable intelligence. Two cases were registered.
In Anantapur district on April 12, raids in Gooty, Kalyanadurgam, and BK Samudram resulted in the destruction of 950 litres of FJ wash, seizure of 6 litres of ID liquor, and identification of six persons involved in brewing operations.
In Anantapuram & Sri Satya Sai districts on April 13, enforcement teams conducted follow-up raids in Guntakal, Kalyanadurg, and Kadiri, registering five new cases, destroying 745 litres of FJ wash, and seizing 26 litres of ID liquor. Six arrests were made.
Commissioner Nishant Kumar praised the seamless coordination among state forces, emphasising the need for such “strategic, sustained operations to uproot the deeply entrenched networks of illicit liquor production and smuggling.” Enforcement director Rahuldev Sharma noted that Navodayam 2.0 would continue with even greater intensity, setting a new standard for enforcement collaboration and proactive public safety initiatives.
GFX:
Key seizures:
• 56,200 litres of fermented jaggery wash (FJ wash) destroyed
• 2,070 litres of illicitly distilled (ID) liquor seized
• 220 kgs of jaggery and 25 kgs of ammonia confiscated
• 50 brewing setups dismantled
• 28 cases registered across five border districts
