Jagatsinghpur: In a major crackdown on the rising heroin trade in Jagatsinghpur district, the Excise Department conducted two separate raids on Thursday, seizing a total of 114 grams of heroin and arresting two persons allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
In the first operation, the District Excise Mobile Squad led by Inspector Prabhas Kumar Choudhury carried out a raid at Purohitpur Chhak under Sadar Police Station limits. Acting on specific intelligence, the team laid a trap at the location and apprehended the accused while he was allegedly attempting to sell heroin to a customer.
The arrested accused has been identified as Debendra Kumar Prusti of Thakurpatana village. Upon search, officials recovered 59 grams of heroin and a mobile phone from his possession. He was later produced before the District Magistrate’s Court, which rejected his bail plea and remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody.
In a similar operation on the same day, another team from Paradip Excise Station led by Inspector Prashant Kumar Mohanty conducted a raid in Uchhabanandapur village under Paradip Lock Police Station limits. During the raid, officials seized 55 grams of heroin and arrested Bula Maharana (55) of the same village. He was forwarded to court following his arrest.
The operations involved members of the District Mobile Squad.
Excise Superintendent Anita Pradhan said that efforts would be made to seek remand of the arrested accused for further interrogation to trace the source of the seized heroin and identify the mastermind behind the illegal trade. She reiterated that the department would continue its intensified drive against narcotics trafficking in the district.
