Patna: Since April 2016, when the Nitish Kumar-led govt enforced complete prohibition under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, the state has been locked in an unrelenting, high-stakes battle against liquor smuggling from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal. What began as a policy decision has evolved into a sweeping enforcement campaign, marked by scale, persistence and an increasingly sophisticated arsenal.In the past decade, authorities have registered over 9.36 lakh prohibition cases, arrested nearly 17 lakh people and seized over 3 crore bulk litres of liquor — 1.76 crore litres of country-made and 2.10 crore litres of IMFL — destroying more than 90% of the confiscated stock. The numbers tell a story of relentless pursuit, but also of an ever-adapting underground network.The crackdown has sharpened in recent years. In 2025 alone, more than 36 lakh litres of illegal liquor were seized and over 1 lakh people arrested, with monthly recoveries rising by 18% in early 2026. Special excise courts have delivered swift convictions in over 4.16 lakh cases, while more than 1.4 lakh vehicles used in smuggling have been confiscated, generating Rs 40 crore through auctions. The strategy is unmistakably multi-layered — combining manpower, infrastructure and intelligence.On the ground, enforcement has expanded into a dense web. As many as 84 check-posts, including 67 along inter-state borders, keep constant vigil. Motorboats patrol the Ganga, Kosi and Gandak, turning rivers into monitored corridors, while 33 sniffer dogs assist in detecting concealed consignments during raids.Beyond borders, coordination has scaled up with the formation of the Prohibition and State Excise Intelligence Bureau in Sept 2025. In that year alone, 38 cross-border operations were carried out across Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, striking at supply chains at their source. Yet, as enforcement intensifies, smugglers respond with ingenuity — modifying bikes, exploiting trains and devising new routes.Technology has emerged as the state’s sharpest edge. Drones, deployed since 2021, now scan vulnerable districts, illegal brewing units and riverine routes once beyond reach. A dedicated Drone Police Unit under “Mission Suraksha” tracks liquor, sand and arms mafias, while geotagging and mobile check-posts have tightened surveillance.Artificial intelligence, introduced in 2022, adds a predictive layer — mapping patterns, identifying routes and dismantling organised rackets. Hand-held X-ray vehicle scanners at key border points such as Dobhi, Rajauli, Dalkhola, Karmnasha and Belthari enable rapid detection of concealed liquor without unloading cargo, reading even through metal and plastic layers.Amit Kumar Jain, ADG, Prohibition and State Narcotics Control Bureau, outlined the next phase: “We have plans in the pipeline to use AI to keep a record of those caught under the prohibition act in order to identify likely repeat offenders, areas where liquor is frequently brewed, places with higher recoveries and border checkpoints from where liquor is smuggled into the state. This will help increase monitoring and patrolling to curb the illegal smuggling of liquor and intoxicant substances in Bihar from bordering states.”He added that while the excise department has drones and speedboats, the prohibition unit of Bihar Police does not have its own dedicated drones, though some districts use them for surveys, often leading to joint operations. The police also utilise technical surveillance tools against suspects.Looking ahead, Bihar Police plans to deploy 50 advanced drones — one for every district and additional units for the Special Task Force — alongside an expanded network of CCTV and AI-powered cameras. In Sept 2025, authorities also announced 393 new check-posts at 23 strategic locations, backed by 176 “mirror” posts in neighbouring states.Krishna Kumar, joint commissioner of prohibition department, said on Saturday, “We are using all the hi-tech equipment to curb the illegal smuggling from bordering areas. A total of 12 hand-held scanning machines are being used at border check-posts. We have eight speedboats to reach riverine areas and 43 drones for real-time tracking of liquor brewing in far-flung areas. With the introduction of all this equipment, discovery and action have intensified.”
