Patna: A three-day drive was launched by the police across the state to check illegal sale and consumption of alcohol.

Total 1,359 persons were arrested and over 19,000 litres of country liquor and Indian made foreign liquor were seized during the operation, which began on the night of October 31 and concluded on the night of November 2.

Inspector-general of the economic offences unit (EOU) JS Gangwar said 3,891 raids were conducted and 785 FIRs were lodged with different police stations in the state.

The police seized 9,120 litres of IMFL and 4,484 litres of country liquor during the raid. The simultaneous raids were carried out on the directive of the EOU, a separate wing of the state police to check organised crime and economic offences.

Sources said the EOU was contemplating to confiscate the assets of the people involved in sale of liquor in violation of the Bihar Excise and Prohibition Act, 2016.

The investigating officers have gathered evidences to show that liquor smugglers had accumulated property worth over Rs 1,500 crore in the past few years.

"The superintendents of police of the districts have been asked to submit proposals to confiscate the property of the liquor smugglers," a senior police officer posted at the EOU said on Saturday. Proper implementation of prohibition figured in the top list of the state police.

Last October, five persons died and four others fell sick after consuming spurious liquor at Danwar village under the jurisdiction of Kachchwa police station in Rohtas district. On Friday, the residents of the village took a pledge not to drink alcohol.