Bhubaneswar: The crackdown on cattle mafia by the Odisha Police has led to the seizure of Rs 4.40 crore from bank accounts and lockers linked to the alleged cow smugglers in the state.
Police sources said that around 200 bank accounts suspected to be linked to the illegal network of cattle traffickers have been identified across five districts. Of these, 121 accounts have been examined so far, resulting in the seizure of over Rs 4.40 crore.
The remaining 79 accounts are yet to be examined and the total amount involved is expected to be much higher, police sources said.
During the investigation, p
olice also found that the accused controlled more than 50 bank lockers, further indicating the extensive financial operations of the network. The lockers and other assets are currently being audited as part of the ongoing probe.
Notably, 47 teams of police had launched a coordinated operation simultaneously across Keonjhar, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, and Khurda districts. Officials said the raids were conducted with the objective of dismantling the organised cattle smuggling network and tracing the financial trail associated with illegal activities.
Keonjhar police have stated that the investigation is still underway and that all identified accounts and assets will be examined thoroughly.
Notably, as many as ten alleged cattle smugglers were apprehended during the simultaneous operation conducted a week ago and properties worth around Rs 50 crore detected as proceeds of illegal cattle trafficking. The assets include house buildings, bank deposits, land and other valuable, a police official said.