Khurda: In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, the Khurda Industrial Estate police seized 500 grams of brown sugar and arrested three individuals, including two women.
Acting on a tip-off, the enforcement team conducted a raid near a hotel close to National Highway 16 last night. During the operation, police caught the suspects red-handed while a transaction was underway. The two women were reportedly delivering the illicit substances to a young man when the police intervened and apprehended them. In addition to the narcotics, the police also seized Rs18,000 in cash and a Bullet motorcycle from their possession
Following their arrest, the accused individuals were produced before the court.
Khurda SP Smit Parmar informed that the market value of the confiscated contraband is estimated to be around Rs 50 lakh. He further stated that the seizure is suspected to be part of an organised supply chain operating in the region. “Those arrested are the supplier, the receiver, and another associate involved in the network. Some family members of the accused are also currently in jail in drug-related cases,” he said, adding that further investigation is underway to dismantle the supply chain.
Notably, Khurda town has become a strategic hub for drug syndicates due to its geographic location, which offers direct road connectivity to six or seven major districts, including Berhampur, Rayagada, Phulbani, Cuttack, and Puri.
