Bhubaneswar: Intensifying the crackdown against narcotics trade in the capital city, the Excise department arrested a woman during raid at one of the hideouts of a notorious smuggler in Palasuni area on Wednesday.
The anti-narcotics agency officials said that 185 grams of brown sugar worth over Rs 18 lakh street price was recovered from the woman believed to be a relative of the smuggler, identified as Hadia. The 52-year-old woman has been identified as Pramila Pradhan. Rs. 11,790 cash has also been recovered from her.
Officials said Pramila was taken into custody following the recovery and she will be forwarded to the court later during the day.
On Wednesday morning, the Excise officials carried out simultaneous raids at several hideouts of Hadia in Palasuni area following a tip off on his whereabouts.
Hadia is wanted in several cases of contraband smuggling by police in and around the capital city. Excise sources said that he would distribute the drugs from his hideouts in Palasuni to several places across Bhubaneswar.
Pramila was nabbed from one of these locations while she was striking a deal for the neatly packed brown sugar packet with a local distributor. The officials are yet to give details of the 'customer'.
However, Hadia managed to give a slip to the raiding party which drew a blank in their efforts to trace him.
Further investigation into the case is on.
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