In a major crackdown on illegal narcotics trafficking, police seized brown sugar worth approximately Rs 2.5 lakh and arrested three individuals, including a woman, in Odisha’s Bhadrak district on Sunday.

The operation was carried out by Tihidi police during a routine patrol on the Nuananda-Hatuari road under the jurisdiction of Tihidi police station. During the patrol, police personnel grew suspicious of the movement of two young men and a woman and intercepted them for verification.

Upon conducting a search, police recovered around 20 grams of brown sugar from their possession. In addition to the narcotic substance, officers also seized a motorcycle and three mobile phones from the accused individuals.

According to police sources, the estimated market value of the seized brown sugar is around Rs 2.5 lakh. Following the seizure, police registered a case and initiated legal proceedings against the accused.

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Officials said further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the contraband and determine whether the accused were part of a larger drug trafficking network. Police are also probing possible links and other individuals connected to the illegal trade. 

“After receiving credible information from reliable sources, our patrolling team became suspicious of the movement of two young men and a woman and intercepted them for verification. During the search, police recovered approximately 20 grams of brown sugar from their possession, following which all three were arrested,” said Additional SP Arup Abhishek Behera.