Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday directed all district magistrates (DMs) and superintendents of police (SPs) across the state to ensure that property of prohibition violators is auctioned, the dry law is implemented with an iron hand and new strategies are adopted to break the hold of the liquor mafia.

The directions came during his video-conference with DMs and SPs conducted from the state secretariat. Chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, home and excise departments principal secretary Amir Subhani, director-general of police P.K. Thakur and other senior officials were present with Nitish.

"The CM was peeved at the way liquor mafia has spread its tentacles in the state despite over 8 lakh litres of foreign and country-made liquor being seized since total prohibition was implemented on April 5 last year," an official who was present said under cover of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

"He has asked to ensure that houses, vehicles and other assets of the violators are not only seized, but also auctioned as per the law."

The official added that Nitish told officials to focus on identifying the four categories of prohibition violators - suppliers, those who store liquor, distributors, and receivers - and strategise to break their chain.

Chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh said Nitish reviewed prohibition with all senior district officials and asked them to strictly enforce the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016. "Strategy needs to be chalked out to ensure that liquor is not available in cities," Anjani said.

"Those violating prohibition need to be identified, especially the liquor mafia, and action has to be taken against them. Strict action will be taken against police, excise and administrative officials who show slackness in implementation of prohibition."

Officials have been told to find out the grounds on which the arrested violators are being given bail by the courts and take steps to plug those loopholes as well as ensure that those getting bail do not violate prohibition again, Anjani added.

The chief minister also mentioned media reports on "rats drinking 9 lakh litres of seized liquor in the state" in a lighter vein at the video-conference. Officials pointed out to him that total seizure in the state till now was a little over 8 lakh litres and it was being destroyed as per the judicial process.