Vikash Sharma

Bhubaneswar: In a major breakthrough, officials of the Excise Department today seized brown sugar worth Rs 38 lakh from Chintamaniswar and Haldipadia area in Bhubaneswar. Three persons including two women have been arrested while further investigation in this connection is on, said inspector-in-charge of Excise department flying squad (Cuttack), Sarat Chandra Bhanja.

The accused have been identified as Sangeeta Mohanty, Tukuna Mohanty and Sona Khan.

According to sources, nearly 385 grams of brown sugar was seized following raids at Chintamaniswar and Haldipadia area by a special team comprising excise officials from Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

“Following directions from the Excise Commissioner, special teams were constituted to carry out raids in different parts of Bhubaneswar today. We have seized 385 grams of brown sugar worth Rs 38 lakh and arrested three persons,” said Bhanja.

Bhanja further informed that the accused are tight-lipped regarding the source of the drugs. But preliminary investigation reveals that narcotics substance was being smuggled from West Bengal to Odisha via Jaleswar. Sources said that the drug dealers are using women agents to peddle such illicit narcotics in a bid to avoid suspicion.

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