Jagatsinghpur, Odisha: In a major breakthrough, police arrested six members of the notorious ‘Don Brothers’ drug syndicate near Mangalpur Bypass in Jagatsinghpur district on Tuesday. The operation was led by the SDPO, Jagatsinghpur, following credible intelligence inputs.
The arrested accused include Soumyajit Parija alias Biki, the alleged gang leader and resident of Ohala village. Parija was earlier arrested by the STF in 2021 for possession of 3 kg of brown sugar and Rs 1 crore in cash, and is reportedly involved in seven criminal cases.
Other arrested members are:
Swapnajit Parija alias Jaki
Tushar Ranjan Das
Ranjit Das alias Sipu
Abhijatya Sahoo
Ranjan Kumar Gochayat
All except the last two are residents of Ohala village; Sahoo and Gochayat hail from Lalasahi village. One accused remains absconding.
Police seized 70 grams of brown sugar, a scooter, and three mobile phones allegedly used in drug trafficking. Investigations revealed that the cartel maintained a district-wide supply chain linked to suppliers in Murshidabad, West Bengal. Narcotics were reportedly smuggled through the Digha coast using boats, with layered payment channels designed to evade detection.
According to officials, the gang primarily targeted college students and school youths, allegedly offering free samples to lure them into addiction. Further investigation is underway to dismantle the wider network.
