Synthetic drugs worth over ₹1.5 Lakh seized in Bhubaneswar; Youth arrested

Bhubaneswar, July 24: In a major crackdown on illegal narcotics trafficking, a 23-year-old youth from Bhubaneswar, identified as Aryaman Pattnaik, has been arrested for allegedly procuring synthetic drugs via the dark web. The arrest was made by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) following the interception of a suspicious parcel at Paradip Port.

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According to official sources, the parcel contained 15 to 16 LSD blotters and had been shipped from Europe. The consignment, routed via sea, was flagged during a routine inspection at the Paradip cargo depot by customs officials. Upon discovering the contraband, customs authorities alerted the NCB, which then launched a covert operation to apprehend the recipient.

The parcel was tracked to Maitrivihar in Bhubaneswar, where Aryaman Pattnaik resided in a rented accommodation. NCB officials conducted a raid and seized the drugs upon delivery. The estimated street value of the recovered narcotics is between $1,500 and $1,600—equivalent to over ₹1.5 lakh.

Pattnaik, a native of Bhubaneswar, is a graduate in engineering from an educational institute in Noida, Delhi. Investigators revealed that he became involved with drugs during his student days, influenced by peers. Over time, he reportedly became part of a drug syndicate and learned how to access narcotics through encrypted platforms on the dark web.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the duration of Pattnaik’s involvement with dark web drug trafficking, and whether he was involved in procuring other illicit substances or contraband.