The Special Task Force (STF) of the State Crime Branch on Sunday raided the residence of international drug peddler Seikh Raja in Baleswar district.
A five-member team of the STF conducted the raid on the house at Arad Bazaar in the presence of Raja, who was earlier apprehended from Bhubaneswar on September 15.
Following his arrest, Raja was taken on a seven-day remand for interrogation in connection with various cases and his involvement in illegal drug trade.
During grilling, the STF came to know about his international connections in illegal trade and his involvement for supplying drugs in Odisha, Rajasthan, Goa, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Sources said that Raja’s associates were smuggling the drug consignments to Jaleswar via Kolkata after receiving the contraband items allegedly being supplied by drug peddlers in Bangladesh on border areas.
Raja, the kingpin in drug trade, used to contact his associates through TikTok videos and was paying them huge amounts for drug supply to various locations across the country, the sources further said.
The STF had arrested Raja from Padmapur under the Khandagiri police limits in Bhubaneswar on last Sunday and seized cash of Rs 1 lakh, a pistol loaded with live ammunitions, six mobile phones, ATM cards and incriminating materials from his possession.
Cases of extortion and firing have also been pending against Raja at different police stations across the State.
