Bhubaneswar, Sept. 8 -- The Odisha Excise Department on Tuesday intensified its crackdown on illegal country liquor, launching a major joint operation in the protected forest areas of Ganjam.

The raid was conducted in the hilly forest areas and near streams in Dahabada and Gujaling under the Jarada police station limits. Acting against illegal liquor production, the Excise Department officials raided the area and dismantled several illicit liquor-making units operating in the forest.

During the operation, officials destroyed 34,800 litres of jaggery-based fermented wash, which was allegedly being used for the preparation of illegal country liquor. Along with this, 1,510 litres of illicit adulterated country-made liquor were also destroy...