Anti-drug drive: Brown sugar worth Rs 2.40 crore seized in Odisha, 3 arrested

Balasore: Continuing its crackdown on drug smugglers, the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch seized brown sugar worth around Rs 2.40 crore and arrested three persons in this connection at Jaleswar Market in Balasore district.

Acting on intelligence input, a team of the STF conducted a raid at Jaleswar Market yesterday and nabbed three dug peddlers, besides seizing 2.402 kg brown sugar. As they failed to produce any valid document in support of possession of the contraband item, the STF arrested the trio.

The arrested are Mamtaz Khan of Jadheswarpur under Jaleswar police limits, Udayanath Rath of Arana village under Jagatsinghpur Town police station and Pradeep Kumar Das of Tainkala in Baialismouza under Cuttack Sadar police limits.

A cases has been registered in this connection under Sections 21(C) and 29 of NDPS Act,1985 and further investigation is underway.

“As part of its special drive against narcotic drugs, STF has seized over 38 kg brown sugar and more than 84.28 quintals of ganja since 2020. Besides, over a hundred drug dealers have been arrested in this connection during the period,” said the STF.