Bhubaneswar, Oct 8: In a major drug bust, the Odisha Excise Department seized brown sugar worth Rs 16.5 lakh and arrested two drug peddlers in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. The accused, identified as Litendra Behera and D. Seemadri Reddy, were reportedly using a ‘Bullet’ motorcycle to transport the illegal narcotics across the city.

Acting on a tip-off, the excise team set up a trap near Megheswar Temple in Bhubaneswar, where a drug transaction was believed to be taking place. The suspects were apprehended on the spot, and the contraband, along with the Bullet bike used in the operation, was seized. Authorities have revealed that the arrested duo is part of a larger network of brown sugar smugglers operating in and around the state capital.

Officials are continuing to investigate the origins of the narcotics and to identify other individuals involved in the racket. This operation forms part of a state-wide crackdown on narcotics, as Odisha faces a concerning rise in synthetic drug usage, particularly among the youth.

No official comment has been provided by Excise authorities at this stage.

In a similar operation earlier this year, the Odisha Crime Branch had seized 319 grams of brown sugar, valued at approximately Rs 31 lakh, and arrested a drug peddler on June 10. The operation, conducted by the Crime Branch Special Task Force (STF), took place on the banks of the Kuakhai River, near the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The arrested individual, a resident of the city, was previously involved in two other drug-related cases in Badagada and Balianta police jurisdictions.

The intensified efforts by law enforcement agencies highlight Odisha's ongoing battle against the rising drug trade and the increasing spread of synthetic drugs.

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