Major drug haul in Odisha; BTech graduate arrested

Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch today arrested a BTech graduate near Kumabasta petrol pump in Khordha after seizing brown sugar weighing 1.034 kg from his possession.

Acting on intelligence input regarding illegal trade of the narcotic drugs, the STF team conducted a crackdown near the petrol pump and nabbed one Manoranjan Das of  Gurujanga in Khordha. After the youth failed to produce any valid authority in support of possession of the contraband item worth around Rs 1 crore, STF arrested him.

He will be produced before Additional District and Session Judge Court later in the day. A case under Section 21(c), 29 of NDPS Act, 1985 has been registered against the accused. Further investigation is underway.

Under its special drive against drug-smuggling,  STF has so far seized over 39 kg brown sugar and 86 quintal ganja, besides arresting 100 drug peddlers since 2020.