Bhubaneswar, July 7: In a major breakthrough against narcotics trafficking, the Special Crime Unit of the Commissionerate Police arrested alleged brown sugar mafia liaison Rashmi Ranjan Bhol during a targeted raid near Jatani Gate in Khordha district, a senior police office said on Monday.

The operation, conducted late last night, led to the seizure of 265 grams of brown sugar, estimated to be worth Rs25 lakh in the illegal drug market. Alongside narcotics, police also seized a motorbike, Rs 35,000 in cash, and a mobile phone believed to be used for coordinating drug deals.

Bhol was apprehended from his residence in the Jamukia area, and preliminary investigations suggest he acted as a middleman between drug suppliers and local dealers. Police sources indicate that he may be part of a larger syndicate operating across multiple districts, with links to organized crime groups.

“We suspect his involvement in a wider network. Further interrogation and digital forensics will help us trace the supply chain,” said a senior officer from the Special Crime Unit.

This arrest comes amid intensified anti-drug operations in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, where authorities have ramped up surveillance and enforcement under the state’s anti-narcotics initiative.

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