Bhubaneswar, Nov. 30 -- In a major action against illegal mining and transportation of minerals, authorities in Balasore district seized 15 trucks carrying illegally extracted stone and sand during a late-night raid on Friday. The joint enforcement operation was carried out by the Soro Tehsil administration, the Mines Department, and local police.

According to officials, the crackdown began at the Bagudi quarry, where ten trucks loaded with stone were intercepted and seized. Following this, the team conducted surprise checks near Talnagar on National Highway-16 and confiscated five more trucks carrying sand allegedly lifted from the Baitarani river basin near Anandpur and being transported through Soro.

Officials stated that the sand ma...