Balichandrapur: Balichandrapur police busted an ivory smuggling racket by arresting three members of a gang while conducting a routine vehicle-checking drive on National Highway 5(A) near here in Jajpur district Saturday.
The accused were identified as Kedar Barik of Chandanpur village under Bari police limits, Jayant Das of Hamjapur village under Balichandrapur police limits in Jajpur district and Khitish Barik of Haladiapatna village under Nikirai police limits in neighbouring Kendrapara district.
Ivory worth `2.5 lakh and a Tata Indica car were seized from their possession. The accused were arrested while trying to transport the ivory for sale. A case was registered in this connection and the accused were produced in court.
Police said the three were arrested after the superintendent of police was alerted about transport of ivory in a car on the highway from Hamjapur village.
The car was speeding away towards Chandikhole when police intercepted the car at Bhakud Square on the highway. A large piece of ivory weighing 1.7 kg and worth close to `2.5 lakh on the black market was seized from inside the car. The three were taken into custody and the ivory and the car was seized.
Kedar having previous criminal antecedents has over 12 cases in his name registered st Bari, Kendrapara, Binjharpur, Balichandrapur and Dharmasala police stations, Balichandrapur police IIC Sarat Chandra Patra said.
Kedar and his accomplices confessed to their crime stating that the ivory was brought from Keonjhar and was kept at Das’s house. They had contacted a trader in Cuttack to sell the ivory who asked them to deliver it at Nanpur and take their money. PNN