Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on illegal narcotics trade, the Excise department Tuesday seized 465 grams of brown sugar worth around Rs 46 lakh and arrested three persons during a raid near the Satya Nagar overbridge.
The accused have been identified as Rabi Barik (26), Sushant Kumar Parida (33) and Hasim Khan (29).
According to sources, the Excise department received intelligence inputs regarding the smuggling of contraband.
Acting on the tip-off, Excise sleuths apprehended the trio red-handed near the Satya Nagar overbridge while they were reportedly distributing the narcotics. The department stated that Rabi Barik is the key distributor, supplying brown sugar to various petty dealers in the City.
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A Pulsar motorcycle allegedly used by him to transport the contraband was also seized during the operation. “The Excise department received intelligence regarding brown sugar smuggling in the City.
Our Range-I officers traced the smugglers and arrested them. The prime supplier, Rabi Barik, has also been apprehended. We are investigating the other links of the smuggling network,” said Bhubaneswar Excise SP Debashish Patel.
All three accused have been arrested and forwarded to the Court of the District Judge, Bhubaneswar, under Section 21 of the NDPS Act.
It is worth noting that Monday, the police arrested another youth and seized 400 grams of brown sugar worth around Rs 40 lakh.
