Bhubaneswar: Continuing its crackdown under Operation NETRA, the Jharsuguda police have busted an inter-district liquor smuggling racket and arrested four accused, including the kingpin, during a late-evening raid on Sunday.
Acting on a tip-off, Rengali Police intercepted a Maruti EECO vehicle near Amapali Crusher in Pithinda Gram Panchayat, which was found carrying over 1,000 litres of country-made (OS) liquor being transported from Bargarh district.
The accused have been identified as Bikram Deheri (48) of Amapali village, Ballabha Meher (32) of Luhabaga, Kulamani Mallik (32) of Amapali, and Rahul Naik (25) of Bairiguda in Kalahandi district.
Police have seized 13 plastic sacks containing 1,125 litres of OS liquor, two bundles of packaging material, and a Samsung mobile phone from their possession.
Police said Bikram Deheri, the prime accused, has a long history of involvement in illegal liquor trade, with multiple cases registered against him under the Odisha Excise Act since 2013.
A case has been registered under Sections 316(2), 318(3), 345(3), and 61(2)(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) read with Sections 52(a)(i), 60(a), and 60(b) of the Odisha Excise Act, 2008.
Jharsuguda police has stated that the district police are maintaining a strict vigil on anti-social activities, including drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and illegal liquor trade, as part of Operation NETRA. Further investigation is underway to trace the wider network behind the racket.
