Balasore: A day after four persons were arrested by a joint squad of the Sahadevkhunta police and the Central Excise team, and brown sugar worth over Rs 1 crore was seized from them, the police on Tuesday forwarded them to court.
Those arrested have been identified as Sheikh Maqsood (35), Sheikh Raju (30), Sheikh Abusan (28) and Sheikh Jamshed Ali (53).
Acting on a tip-off that brown sugar was being smuggled in a vehicle, the squad raided a stationary car (ODO1W-7995) in Arada Bazar area near Phuladi Road late on Monday night. During the search, the squad seized a packet containing around 1.6 kg of brown sugar worth over Rs 1 crore and arrested four persons.
Police also seized the car used to escort the four arrested persons and a bullet.
According to the police, of the four arrested persons, Sheikh Maqsood of Rajapur village under Jaleswar police limits is the mastermind of the narcotic trade. The racket had been going on in the name of fish trade.
