Soro: In a major crackdown on illegal sand mining, 15 trucks carrying extracted stone and sand were seized during late-night raid on Friday midnight in Barafkala Chhak under Soro tehsil of Balasore district.
The raid was carried out by the Soro Tehsil administration, the Mines Department, and local police.
As per officials, the raid began at the Bagudi quarry , where they seized ten trucks loaded with stone and then they confiscated five more trucks carrying sand from the Baitarani river basin near Anandpur and being transported through Soro.
Officials stated that the sand mafia had been flouting regulations and transporting minerals without valid permits and later they dispersed from the area after the officials raided.
Later, the police have intensified surveillance across various mining points.