Rourkela: In a significant breakthrough under ‘Nasha Mukta Odisha Drive’, Rourkela police busted an active drug trafficking racket operating in Plantsite area with the arrest of eight persons, including six women.
Acting on specific intelligence, a team from Plantsite police station, backed by three platoons of force, conducted an early morning raid at Meenapada on Mahatab Road. The operation led to the seizure of 220 grams of heroin valued at around Rs 1 crore in the illicit market, along with cash amounting to over Rs 2.5 lakh and three mobile phones.
Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani, addressing a press conference, said that the accused were allegedly supplying narcotic s
ubstances to locals, including school and college students, for illegal financial gains.
Wadhwani said any property acquired through the illegal trade would be confiscated following due legal procedure. He further stated that the houses were built illegally on land belonging to the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) and that both the Sundargarh district administration and RSP had been informed for further action.
Police sources noted that the contraband was seized from four slum households in Meenapada, which has previously seen multiple anti-drug operations.
The arrested individuals, all residents under the Plantsite police station limits, have been identified as: Rosan Khatoon alias Shanti (55), Farida Khatoon (50), Md. Imran Aalm (28), Md. Alam (24), Nuresha Khatoon (55), Rahima Khatoon (58), Manisha Khatoon (25), Nuresha Khatoon (59)
The drive aligns with ongoing statewide efforts to curb drug menace, with Rourkela police intensifying crackdowns on peddlers targeting vulnerable youth. Further investigation is underway to uncover possible wider links in the network.