In a major breakthrough, the Commissionerate Police busted an inter-state racket reportedly engaged in brown sugar smuggling. Two brown sugar peddlers from West Bengal were arrested in the Chauliaganj area of Cuttack, police said on Tuesday.
The accused have been identified as Ishwara Mahara and Budhu Ray of Murshidabad. Police seized 257 gms of the banned substance, a Scorpio vehicle, and Rs 2 lakh cash from the two. The seized substance is approximately valued at Rs 26 lakh.
According to police, the two were planning to smuggle the brown sugar to Khordha.
Addressing a presser in Cuttack, Additional DCP Anil Mishra said, “Ahead of the upcoming elections, police have been carrying out night patrolling. Last night, blocking and checking were being carried out at Kaliaboda under Chauliaganj Police limits. The two were coming in a Scorpio vehicle. We had specific information about them. We detained the vehicle and seized the brown sugar.”
He added that a case was registered against the two under the NDPS Act and further investigation into the matter and sources of procurement is on.
As per the preliminary investigation, the two had sold some amounts of the banned substance during the transit, Mishra added.