Paddy smuggling attempt thwarted in Balasore, 1,800 bags seized near Odisha border

The Balasore district administration has foiled an alleged attempt to illegally transport paddy into Odisha from West Bengal, seizing a large consignment near the state border. Officials said 1,800 bags of paddy were confiscated during a raid conducted by the Supply Department near the Laxmannath toll gate on Thursday.

The seizure comes amid concerns that Odisha’s higher minimum support price (MSP) for paddy is encouraging cross-border diversion during the procurement season.

Higher MSP Attracts Middlemen

Odisha is currently procuring paddy atRs 3,100 per quintal. Officials said the higher procurement price has reportedly drawn the attention of middlemen from neighbouring states, particularly West Bengal, who are allegedly attempting to bring paddy into Odisha to sell it at higher rates.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the Supply Department tracked the movement of three trucks carrying a large quantity of paddy from West Bengal towards Odisha.

Three Trucks Seized, Drivers Detained

During the operation, officials intercepted the three trucks near the Laxmannath toll gate and seized all three vehicles along with 1,800 bags of paddy. Three drivers were detained for questioning, while the main middleman involved in the alleged smuggling attempt managed to flee from the spot.

Preliminary verification revealed that the vehicles did not possess the valid documents required for transporting paddy, officials said.

Border Surveillance Tightened

Balasore district officials said enforcement measures along the Odisha border have been strengthened to prevent the illegal movement of paddy. Surveillance has been intensified following repeated attempts to divert paddy into the state during the procurement season.

Balasore Civil Supplies Officer Narasingha Panda said technology-based monitoring systems have been deployed along the border.

“We have stationed camera-mounted vehicles at Odisha’s borders, which conduct round-the-clock surveillance in three shifts. These three vehicles had entered Odisha from West Bengal and were heading towards Andhra Pradesh with around 850 to 900 quintals of paddy packed in 1,800 bags. As the drivers failed to produce valid documents, the vehicles and the paddy were seized,” he said.

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Further investigation is underway to trace the absconding middleman and ascertain the full extent of the illegal operation.