BHUBANESWAR: The Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch and Boudh police on Sunday arrested a former staff of Forest department on charges of illegal possession of drugs and animal body parts. The accused, Sanatan Pradhan, had reportedly taken voluntary retirement from service in 2008.
Sources said, the STF raided the National Highway-157 and nabbed Pradhan from Charichhaka- Phulbani road. Around 2.88 kg of opium, 3.81 kg of ganja powder and 60 packets of ganja cigarettes were also seized from his possession. The agency later raided Pradhan’s house in Jhadarajing within Purunakatak police limits and seized a deer skin, a turtle scale and a boar tusk from there.
The STF further registered two separate cases against Pradhan under various sections of NDPS and Wildlife (Protection) Act. Since 2020, the agency has seized more than 72 kg brown sugar/ heroin, 3.65 kg opium, 202 gm cocaine and over 116 quintal ganja/marijuana. It has also arrested 179 drug peddlers/ dealers during the period from various parts of the state.