Bhubaneswar, Jan 3: Excise Department officials have arrested a law student in Bhubaneswar for allegedly trafficking brown sugar.

The accused, identified as Debiprasad Das, was found in possession of 265 grams of brown sugar, which officials estimate to be worth around ₹27 lakh in the illegal market.

Das, a student at a city-based law college, is the son of a well-known contractor.

According to officials, Das has a criminal background and was previously booked in a murder case under the Airfield police limits in the capital.

Investigations revealed that he was allegedly involved in drug peddling along with two associates, Sukant Nayak and Santosh Nayak. The trio is believed to have supplied brown sugar to college students, using WhatsApp and other social media platforms to contact buyers.

Further investigation into the network and its links is currently underway, officials said.