Brown sugar valued between Rs 20 and 40 crore was seized in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district on Sunday, resulting in the arrests of five persons, including a woman, a senior police official said.
One person is on the run, Superintendent of Police Vijay Kumar Meena said at a press conference.
“The 20-kilogram contraband was seized after a team from New Abadi police station intercepted and searched vehicles based on a tip-off. The brown sugar could be worth up to Rs 40 crore if laboratory tests establish it to be of superior quality. Even if it is of inferior quality, its value would not be less than Rs 20 crore,” the SP informed.
Two four-wheelers allegedly used for ferrying the consignment and seven mobile phones worth around Rs 2.5 lakh were seized from the accused, though no cash was found on them, Meena added.
“During questioning, it emerged the accused were allegedly involved in interstate trafficking of narcotic substances. A detailed probe into other members of the gang, supplier network and financial transactions is underway,” he said, adding that the police team behind the seizure would be recommended for rewards.
Police identified the arrested persons as Hemant Verma (50) and Mona Sen (48), both from Indore, and Rahul Meena (36), Subhash alias Pintu Nahar (46) and Jitendra alias Karu Meena (35), all residents of Pratapgarh in Rajasthan.
One Aziz alias Ejaz, also from Pratapgarh in the neighbouring state, is absconding and efforts are on to nab him, the official said.
A case was registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at New Abadi police station, Meena said.
