Balasore: The Special Task force (STF) sleuths of Odisha police on Thursday apprehended an inter-state drug peddler with over 1.3 kg brown sugar in Balasore district.
According to police sources, the accused, identified as Sk Rafiq alias Ruga of Panchkula in West Bengal, was arrested in a joint operation by a team of STF Crime Branch, Bhubaneswar, and their counterparts in Balasore following a raid at a hide-out at Masjidgali near Aradabazaar of Sahadevkhunta area of the district.
Rafiq was earlier involved in three other criminal cases, including narcotics trade in Balasore. He has been booked under relevant sections of the NDPS Act 1985. Further investigation is in progress.
In a special drive against narcotic drugs, the STF has so far seized more than 57 kg of brown sugar (heroin), 202 gm cocaine, over 111 quintals of ganja/marijuana and 750 gm opium and arrested over 158 drug peddlers since 2020.
