880 Liquor Bottles Seized in Nuapada; One Arrested

Bhubaneswar: Police have busted a long-running liquor smuggling racket in the Nuapada area, seizing 880 bottles of foreign liquor and arresting one accused in connection with the illegal trade.

The arrested individual has been identified as Chandan alias Shiv Prasad Das (25), a resident of Nuapada. Police also confiscated a Swift Dzire car (OD 33-3500) allegedly used to transport the contraband. Another accused, Muna alias Santhosh Pradhan, managed to flee from the spot and is currently absconding.

According to police sources, the smuggling network involved the illegal procurement of liquor from a foreign liquor shop in Deehsahi. A case has been registered against Dilip Roy, the manager of the shop, for allegedly supplying liquor to the accused for unlawful resale.

Police intercepted the vehicle near Pakanpur following a tip-off. Upon spotting the police team, Muna reportedly escaped from the scene, while Chandan was apprehended. A large quantity of liquor bottles was recovered from the car’s trunk and back seat during the search operation.

An investigation is underway to trace the absconding accused and to uncover further links in the smuggling network.