Talcher: In a crackdown Friday afternoon, Angul excise department officials seized brown sugar worth over Rs 1.2 lakh from a drug peddler at Hatatota area of Talcher town in the district and arrested a man in this connection.
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Acting on a tip-off, the excise officials raided ITI square in the town and seized the contraband from his possession. Later, the arrested was produced before a local court.
Talcher town police has registered a case under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and launched a detailed probe.
Notably, drug peddling activity has become rampant in the town over the past few months. The illegal trade has gone up substantially since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
Unemployed youths including those who lost their jobs owing to shutdowns have taken up the trade, sources said.
PNN