CUTTACK: A flying squad of Excise Department seized 80 grams of brown sugar worth more than Rs 8 lakh from Maachhua Bazar and arrested two persons in the city on Monday. Acting on a tip off, the squad conducted raids on two houses in the locality and seized the narcotic. The accused, Manoj Kahali (28) and Dillip Kahali (36), have been booked under NDPS Act. During the raid at Maachhua Bazar, Excise officials had also seized 5 kg of ganja from the two, a senior excise official said.
According to sources, the Millennium City seems fast turning into a hub for brown sugar trade. After being imported from the neighbouring states, mostly West Bengal, the narcotics are to be smuggled to different parts of the State.On February 6, the flying squad had seized 45 grams of brown sugar from Jobra area and arrested Parikhit Pradhan (47). The cost of the seized drugs was estimated at Rs 4.5 lakh.