Brown sugar worth Rs 1.20 crore seized, 2 held

By Swagatika Bhutia

BHUBANESWAR, MAY 28: A team of Special Task Force of the Odisha Crime Branch on Saturday seized brown sugar worth Rs 1.20 crore during a raid at Baramunda in Bhubaneswar and arrested two smugglers in this connection.

The arrested culprits were identified as Kapildev Mujumdar and Rashmiranjan Bhola.  While Kapildev is a resident of West Bengal, Rashmiranjan belongs to Jankia in Khurda district.

Police also seized fake photos and voter identity cards from their possession.

The police revealed that the smugglers used to give their identity as doctors, police and managers to avoid police arrest.

Earlier a couple of months back, the STF had arrested three persons and seized brown sugar worth over Rs 1 crore from their possession in Khurda district.

The STF has launched a special drive against illegal narcotics trade in Odisha. Since 2020, the STF has seized more than 50 Kg of brown sugar/heroin and over 90 quintals of ganja /marijuna. The STF has also arrested more than 128 drug dealers/peddlers in separate cases registered in different parts of the State so far during the special drive.