Bhadrak/Baripada/Balasore: Despite continuous raids on dens, the drug mafia still carries out illegal business in parts of north Odisha.
In last three weeks, police and excise officials have seized drugs worth nearly Rs 1 crore in Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj, reports said. Reports said, despite raids by excise officials and police, there has been no let-up in drug peddling in the region.
According to reports, Bhadrak rural police, while carrying out night patrolling seized 320 gram of brown sugar worth Rs 31 lakh and arrested two drug peddlers at Ranital Wednesday.
The kingpin of the racket has, however, escaped. All the three drug peddlers were carrying drug from Jaleswar to Bhadrak. Those who were arrested were identified as Srikant Das of Manipur under Bansada police limits and Sanjay Mallick of Tihidi.
They were produced in court. Police said the kingpin will be arrested soon. It was alleged that Jaleswar has still been a hub of drug peddling in North Odisha. Drugs are supplied from various parts of West Bengal.
Similarly, Baripada town police had seized 417 gm of brown sugar during a raid in the town April 13. The seized brown sugar was valued at Rs 40 lakh.
The accused was identified as Gobinda Chandra Pala. He had earlier been arrested by a special police squad. He was part of an inter-state drug racket.
It was alleged that the mafia had been supplying drugs from West Bengal to Baripada via Jaleswar. April 3, Balasore Silpanchal police arrested a third gender and seized 72 gm of brown sugar.
The accused, identified as Rakhi Kinnar, is a resident of Balugan in Khurdha district. Excise officials and police have been seizing drugs in parts of Balasore at regular intervals.
PNN