Anandapur: Keonjhar district police have arrested 21 persons and seized 213 grams of brown sugar from their possession during a series of raids under various police station areas across Anandapur sub-division in Keonjhar district.
Cash worth Rs 8.3 lakh and 12 mobile phones were also seized from their possession during the raids.
This was stated here by ASP Pratyush Mohapatra at a presser held on the Ghashipura police station premises Thursday.
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The ASP said the arrests were part of an ongoing crackdown on the illegal drug trade in the region.
Several areas, including Salapada Hatapadia, Salabani Square and other hotspots, had drawn police scrutiny after repeated complaints of narcotics peddling.
Acting on the directives of SP Nitin Kusalkar Dagdu, a team of the special squad conducted simultaneous raids Tuesday night in Ghasipura, Anandapur, Ramachandrapur and Nandipada police limits.
All 21 accused were produced in court Thursday.
A case (297/2025) has been registered at Ghasipura police station, Anandapur SDPO Prashant Kumar Behera said.
The press briefing was also attended by Sadar SDPO Sudarshan Gangoi and Ghasipura IIC Manas Ranjan Barik.
PNN