Bhubaneswar: Amid growing menace of drug and narcotic substance abuse among youth, the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police on Tuesday conducted surprise checks on several shops in Patia and Khandagiri areas in Bhubaneswar.
According to sources, the raids, which were carried out on basis of intelligence about the sale of brown sugar and ganja (cannabis), focused on small shops and kiosks near college campuses in these areas. It is being suspected that some vendors were secretly luring youngsters to addictions right outside their campuses. Samples were collected during the searches for forensic testing.
Sources said that raiding teams have got some key leads though official arrests are yet to be confirmed.
The operation was part of the STF’s strict anti-drug policy, particularly in areas frequented by students. Similar raids were earlier conducted in other college zones.
Last month, an engineering graduate was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for procuring six blots of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) from a trafficking network supplying illegal drugs. Earlier in April, heroin was seized from two youths near Shiv Temple on the Utkal University campus.
