Crackdown on narcotics trade: Brown sugar worth over Rs 1 crore seized in Bhubaneswar

The Special Task Force (STF) on Sunday arrested a person and recovered brown sugar worth nearly Rs 1 crore from his possession in Bhubaneswar. The accused, identified as Chitaranjan Sahu, was staying a government quarters in Unit-8 area on rent. He used to run a garage nearby in the Unit-8 area of the capital city.

STF SP, Kishore Panigrahy said, “Yesterday, we got information that a person had brought brown sugar and stored it at his house at Unit-8 area in Bhubaneswar. Subsequently, a raid was conducted and the 1 Kg 107 grams of brown sugar was seized from him.”

According to Panigrahy, the accused hails from Dhenkanal district. During interrogation, he has informed to have procured the brown sugar from a person from Balasore district.

“We have also come across a West Bengal link in the case and further investigation in this connection is underway. One motorcycle, mobile phone, and other documents have also been seized,” Panigrahy added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the STF has launched a massive crackdown on the illegal narcotics trade in the state. The special drive against narcotic drugs is continuing since 2020. So far, the STF has seized more than 69 Kg of Brown sugar/Heroin, 202 grams of Cocaine and over 113 quintals of Ganja/Marijuna and 750 grams of Opium. Over 168 drug dealers/peddlers have been arrested in separate cases.