Bhadrak: The illegal brown sugar trade continues to surge in Bhadrak district, but police have intensified their crackdown on traffickers. In two separate operations conducted by Bhadrak Town Police, five individuals were arrested and 36 grams of brown sugar were seized, along with vehicles and cash.
Acting on specific intelligence and under the direction of Bhadrak Superintendent of Police Manoj Rout, police intercepted a Honda car at Charigharia Square during city patrols. The operation led to the recovery of 26 grams of brown sugar, ₹10,000 in cash, and the vehicle. Three youths from Keonjhar were arrested in this case.
In another late-night operation, police detained two suspicious youths during patrols and seized 10 grams of brown sugar along with a motorcycle bearing a West Bengal registration number. The accused were identified as a youth from West Bengal and Raja Malik of Baulpokhari, Charampa, Bhadrak.
All five accused have been forwarded to court.
Officials noted that Bhadrak has increasingly become a hub for narcotic trafficking, with contraband smuggled in from neighbouring states before being distributed further. Despite frequent police raids, traffickers continue to operate with growing sophistication.
Just two days earlier, four liquor traffickers were arrested in Bhadrak, highlighting the growing scale of illicit trades in the district. Police said intensified surveillance and joint operations are needed to effectively curb the menace of narcotics.
