Bhadrak high on drug peddling, bootlegging

Bhadrak: Drug smuggling and bootlegging have been flourishing in Bhadrak district. Peddlers rake in moolah by hustling illegal liquor, hooch, brown sugar, opium, ganja and counterfeit foreign liquor. All such activities are being carried in dead of night while peddlers carry these illegal items in luxury cars so as to evade suspicion of the public and enforcement authorities.

On the other hand, the excise department here is reportedly struggling with staff crunch. Though raids are carried out, smuggling activities are yet to be curbed. Various quarters have alleged that police and excise officials in the district have become inactive against the bootleggers and drug traffickers.

On the other hand, special task force teams from Cuttack and Bhubaneswar have raided several times and caught drug peddlers and bootleggers.

Even liquor mafia is becoming violent during raids. It may be noted here that liquor mafia had attacked an excise inspector of Bhadrak and five other officials during a recent raid. This incident had raised many eyebrows.

In October, an STF team had raided Purunabazar area and arrested five ganja smugglers. Excise officials had also arrested two brown sugar traders, three people dealing in counterfeit chew-tobacco and two others manufacturing counterfeit tobacco.

Reports said, illegal liquor sale is thriving in some pockets of Bhndaripokhari, Bhadrak and Dhamnagar blocks while counterfeit foreign liquor trade is rampant in parts of Chandbali and Tihidi blocks.

It was learnt that a racket allegedly manufactures counterfeit foreign liquor of branded companies in Puruna Balasore and Soro areas and supply them to rural pockets in Bhadrak.

Drug peddling is being remote controlled by mafia from Balasore. Liquor mafia carries out business in Kenduapada, Dandua, Sarua, Kaharapokhari, Andeipalli, Khanabadi, Alauti and Ambagadia.

Asked about it, Dhaneswar Barad, excise inspector, said raids are being carried out only after getting specific allegations. He also pointed out that they failed to intensify raids due to shortage of staff.

PNN