Bhubaneswar, Jul 7: In a major crackdown on narcotics trade, the Excise Department on Tuesday arrested a father-son duo from Mahishakhal slum in Bhubaneswar for allegedly running a brown sugar racket. Officials seized a luxury car used for smuggling and recovered packets of contraband from inside the vehicle.

According to officials, the accused duo had previously been jailed for drug peddling but resumed operations soon after their release. The duo allegedly used the high-end car to distribute brown sugar across different parts of the capital, evading detection by blending into affluent neighbourhoods.

Acting on a tip-off, excise sleuths kept surveillance on the suspects from the early hours of today. The raid culminated in the seizure of the vehicle and arrest of the duo, who were caught red-handed with the narcotics. The exact quantity of brown sugar seized is yet to be ascertained, though officials estimate its market value to run into lakhs of rupees.

Officials said that the accused had built a network of local contacts and were supplying the drug to multiple areas in Bhubaneswar. The Excise Department has intensified its operations against narcotics in the city, following a spurt in brown sugar cases in recent months.

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Brown sugar, a derivative of heroin, has emerged as a growing menace in Odisha, with Bhubaneswar and Cuttack witnessing several seizures in the past year. Officials said the latest arrest underscores the persistence of repeat offenders who return to the trade despite prior convictions.

The father-son duo will be produced before court, and further investigation is underway to trace their supply chain and other associates involved in the racket, officials said.