Bhubaneswar: The Special Task Force of state Crime Branch has arrested two drug peddlers from the city and seized 405 grams of brown sugar worth over Rs 60 lakh from their possession. The accused drug peddlers were identified as Sk Saruk of Aradabazar in Sahadevkhunta police limits and Sanjeeb Kumar Dehuri of Sunahat area in Balasore Town Police limits in Balasore.
Acting on specific intelligence, the STF carried out a raid near Baramunda area under Khandagiri police limits here, Sunday. The sleuths later arrested the accused who failed to produce satisfactory reasons behind the possession of such huge quantity of contraband brown sugar. The duo revealed during interrogation that they have been procuring the items from noted drug peddlers of Jaleswar, Murshidabad and Kolkata in West Bengal. Several other cases are pending against the duo at various police stations in Balasore as well.
Subsequently, the STF Monday produced the accused in court after registering a case (14/20) under various sections of the NDPS Act.
The accused duo was sent to judicial custody after the rejection of the bail pleas by Districts sessions court, Bhubaneswar.
The STF sources told the media here that the STF is determined to end illegal drug trade in the state and will continue its drive in the coming days too. The STF has till now arrested 24 drug peddlers in 13 cases registered under the NDPS act in the current year. It also seized 1.279 Kgs of brown sugar, 326.45 gram opium, Rs13,21,000 in cash, one car, eight motorcycles and other incriminating documents during the period.
He said that the STF has been trying to trace the place from where the brown sugar is being supplied to different parts of the state.