The Special Task Force of the Odisha Crime Branch police has busted an organised racket involved in the theft of cargos in Cuttack district.
A heap of such illegally unloaded low ash metallurgical (LAM) coke weighing about 32 metric tonnes, nine trucks loaded with coke, one earth moving vehicle, some resealed and repacking materials and incriminating materials were seized from the culprits at the spot.
According to the STF, 54 metric tonnes of lam coke worth ₹13.50 lakh were found to have been stolen and kept stored by the culprits illegally for sale.
On the basis of reliable information regarding organised cargo theft and illegal unloading of costly materials and cargo from inter-State transport vehicles by miscreants on both sides of the NH-55, the STF team had conducted a raid at a place under the Choudwar police station limits.
“Eight trucks loaded with lam coke were found at the spot, from where voluminous coke had been stolen and the same was found to have been loaded in other trucks for disposal for pecuniary benefit,” it said.
Tip of the iceberg
Ten persons have been arrested. “The detection is just the tip of the iceberg. Criminals used to intercept trucks loaded with huge mineral and non-mineral goods. Drivers are normally threatened to offload certain amount of their goods before being let go,” said Jai Narayan Pankaj, STF DIG.
Mr. Pankaj said, “Since a small portion of the goods was being stolen, the affected parties were not lodging complaints. We are expanding our investigation. It could be an inter-State affair,” he said.
