Operation Chakra: Brown sugar worth Rs 15L seized in Odisha, four arrested

Puri Police on Sunday achieved a major success under the ongoing anti-narcotics drive ‘Operation Chakra’, seizing brown sugar worth around Rs 15 lakh. While four drug peddlers were arrested, another managed to escape.

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Based on a reliable tip-off, the Pipili police intercepted the accused persons while they were planning to trade brown sugar at Nijigada Kurki near Pipili, informed Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Prateek Singh.

The police team seized around 151 grams of brown sugar, Rs 6,30,700 in cash, seven mobile phones, a car, a Bullet motorcycle, and two other bikes from their possession.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Jayanta Kumar Swain, Kulamani Khatei, and Umesh Kumar Swain of Satyabadi locality, and Sashikanta Jena of Jatani. The fifth accused, who managed to flee the scene, remains at large.

SP Singh further stated that multiple measures were being taken to curb the narcotics trade across Puri district, and Operation Chakra would continue targeting the drug networks and smugglers to ensure a drug-free district.

“Brown sugar suppliers were being tracked by Pipili police. Strict vigil was being kept on the smugglers. Police were tipped off that some brown sugar suppliers were active in Pipili, and procuring from outside, they were supplying the contraband item in Puri and nearby areas. From a reliable source, police had got information that they were trying to sell brown sugar yesterday,” Puri SP said in a presser.

“Swinging into action, a team of officers from Pipili Police Station conducted a raid leading to the arrest of four persons in connection with the illegal trade,” the SP added.