Bhubaneswar: Excise department officials seized 378 grams of brown sugar, valued at approximately Rs 40 lakh, from a car near the Pipili bypass in the wee hours of Saturday. Two individuals were arrested in connection with the case.
The accused have been identified as Imam Ahmed Raja (27), a resident of Muslimpada in Rajgangpur, Sundargarh district, and Mohammad Abu Talha (29) from the Plantsite area of Rourkela. Both were remanded to Puri Jail after their bail pleas were rejected.
Based on intelligence inputs, the Excise officials intercepted a car near the Pipili bypass in Puri district, suspecting it of trafficking contraband substances. Upon inspection, the officials discovered 378 grams of brown sugar concealed inside the vehicle. The contraband was reportedly being transported from Rourkela to Puri.
This seizure is part of the ongoing crackdown on illegal drug trafficking in the state, with authorities intensifying surveillance and intelligence-led operations to curb such activities.
