Bhubaneswar: A team of special task force (STF) of the Crime Branch on Saturday arrested five persons on charges of smuggling brown sugar in Barunei area near Khordha town. Over 1 kg of drugs was also seized from possession of the peddlers.
The main accused – Bijay Mohanty was arrested from Khordha while four others, who supply the contraband to Mohanty, were apprehended while they were on their way to Balasore. They have been identified as SK Jumman Badruddin of Jhadeswarpur in Balasore, Soumyajit Parija, Sagar Behera and Sapan Bhattacharya of Jagatsinghpur.
Acting on an intel, the team conducted raids in Barueni area yesterday and apprehended Mohanty. A packing machine and other incriminating materials were seized from his possession during the search.
The STF team also seized the car in which the fours accused were travelling. Besides, cash of Rs 5,30,000 were recovered from their possession.
A case has been registed under sections 21(c)/29 NDPS Act. Further investigation is on, officials said.
On April 6, the commissionerate police had also arrested five persons including three Bihar natives for allegedly smuggling ganja. A special team of Police had also seized 120 gram of contraband from them.
Since 2020, the STF had seized more than 29 kg of Brown sugar/ heroin and more than 64 quintals (6400 Kg) of Ganja/ and arrested more than 100 drug peddlers during special drive against narcotic drugs.
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)