Balasore: The Special Task Force of the Crime Branch arrested two associates of drug mafia Sheikh Raja in Balasore district.
Acting on a tip-off, the STF officials nabbed Basant Behera and Niladri Das during a raid in Balasore town.
The two associates will be brought to Bhubaneswar for interrogation, sources said.
The STF had arrested Raja in Bhubaneswar on September 15 this year and seized a 7.65 mm bore pistol, bullets, Rs 1 lakh in cash, six mobile phones, some ATM cards and other incriminating materials from his possession.
Preliminary investigation had revealed that Raja was supplying contraband to some of his customers in Khurda district. Besides, he was also involved in the inter-state narcotics trade in West Bengal, Goa and Rajasthan.
While his drug links in Nepal were confirmed, investigation was on to trace his links in Bangladesh.