5 held in crackdown on illegal drug trade

Satyanarayan Pattnaik

Koraput: In a major crackdown on illegal drug trade, Jeypore town police seized huge quantities of a prescription drug, the amount exceeding the commercial limit under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and arrested five persons during a late-night raid on Saturday near Canal Road.

According to Jeypore SDPO Archita Mittal, based on specific intelligence received around 11 pm on Saturday regarding the sale and consumption of the drug in the area, a police team conducted a raid and intercepted a four-wheeler carrying six suspects. During the operation, police recovered 750 ampules of the drug, weighing approximately 750 grams.

The seizure was conducted in the presence of an executive magistrate, govt witnesses and a drug inspector. Police registered a case under Sections 21(c) and 29 of the NDPS Act and Sections 18(c) and 27(b)(ii) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

According to the SDPO, five accused were arrested while one suspect managed to flee. Police also seized five mobile phones and the car used in the alleged operation.

“The arrested persons have previous criminal records, including cases under the NDPS Act, as well as theft and other property-related offences,” the SDPO said.

Mittal said investigators will now focus on tracing the source of the drug and identifying others involved in the illegal supply network.

“Efforts are underway to examine the supply chain and possible diversion of the drug from legitimate channels, identify all persons involved in this organised racket and take appropriate legal action against them,” the SDPO added.

Further investigation is underway and efforts are on to apprehend the absconding accused, police said.