Dhenkanal: Dhenkanal town has become a safe haven for narcotic traders. With the illegal business increasing and as college students falling easy prey to the smugglers, it has added to the woes of parents.
Smugglers have spread their tentacles in the suburban areas of the town and are using persons who are not on the scanner of the police to run their business. This strategy of the narcotic traders has proved to be effective.
According to sources, the trading of narcotics has been going on in Dhenkanal town since years. Youngsters aged between 15 and 20 are becoming more vulnerable to drugs.
A flying squad of the Excise Department and police had seized 22 grams of Brown Sugar from Baji Chowk last week.
Local authorities had seized the drug for the first time in Dhenkanal district. It is estimated to cost around Rs 2.2 lakh. Two persons were also arrested.
The police are quite aware of drug trafficking in Dhenkanal town, but was not able catch the culprits. After the seizure, the tension of Dhenkanal police and Excise officials have increased manifold.
Brown Sugar is being supplied to Dhenkanal town from Puri, Cuttack and Khurda districts. Smugglers prefer to bring the drugs from Puri and Khurda as raids have intensified in Cuttack.
The Rameswarpur Over Bridge, Kantanali Bypass, Bus Stand, College Bypass, Shyamacharanpur Passenger Halt, Kunjakanta Pond and the cremation ground have turned into hotspots for selling drugs.
The Brown Sugar is packed in empty match boxes or cigarette packs and then supplied to buyers. Minor boys are being engaged in most cases for the safe transportation of the drug packets.
Dhenkanal Superintendent of Excise Manoj Sethi said, “We are aware that Brown Sugar is being smuggled to Dhenkanal district. We are conducting raids as and when we get concrete information.”
Dhenkanal SP Anupama James said, “The police is alert regarding this and act immediately when we get reliable information.”
