Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on narcotics racket in Bhubaneswar, Excise Department officials arrested a notorious woman drug peddler in the city and seized brown sugar worth around Rs 36 lakh from her.
The woman, identified as Annapurna Behera alias Panna, was allegedly running a drug syndicate that primarily used women as carriers.
Officials from the Khurda Excise Department carried out a sting operation, posing as customers to purchase drugs. During the operation, Panna was caught red-handed with 360 grams of heroin, valued at approximately Rs 36 lakh. The contraband was classified as commercial heroin, making the case more severe under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Panna, a resident of Maishikhala slum in Bhubaneswar, has allegedly been involved in drug trafficking for several years. Her notoriety earned her the alias Lady Don, as she managed to build a network of women who acted as couriers in her illegal trade.
A senior official said that a joint investigation will be launched by police, STF (Special Task Force) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to nab the kingpin of the drug syndicate. Authorities believe Panna is only a link in a larger chain of narcotics smuggling in Odisha.
