Keonjhar, July 31: In a significant crackdown on illegal narcotics trade, Keonjhar police have arrested 21 individuals involved in brown sugar trafficking. The operation also led to the seizure of 213 grams of brown sugar, ₹8.3 lakh in cash, and 13 mobile phones.
The arrests were announced by Keonjhar Additional SP Pratyush Mahapatra during a press briefing at Ghasipura police station. According to police, the accused were part of a network operating across multiple areas, including Ghasipura, Ramachandrapur, Anandapur, and Nandipada.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the narcotics were being sourced from the Bhadrak region and distributed extensively in the Anandapur area over an extended period.
The crackdown follows a series of complaints regarding the rising drug menace in Anandapur subdivision. Acting on these reports, multiple police teams were formed under the leadership of Anandapur SDPO Prashanta Behera. A two-day raid led to the mass arrests and seizure.
Additional SP Mahapatra confirmed that the police will intensify efforts in the coming days to dismantle the remaining network and curb the spread of narcotics in the region.
