Alleged kingpin of an inter-state truck smuggling racket, suspected to be involved in at least 100 heavy vehicle theft cases, was arrested in Jajpur district of Odisha, police said today.
Mahammad Elias alias Elo of local Sunguda village was arrested yesterday and 60 truck tyres and scraps including truck reams worth over Rs 10 lakh found in his possession, officer-in-charge of Chandikhole police outpost, Rakesh Tripathy said.
He said police busted the gang after a truck owner complained that his vehicle was stolen in front of his house on July 22 night.
Explaining the modus operandi of the gang, Tripathy said Elo and his gang of six used to target trucks parked near eateries on national and state highways and trucks especially parked in isolated locations. The gang also used to lift the vehicles pretending themselves as the staff of the financial agencies, he said.
