Patna: Rohtas police on Wednesday raided an unauthorised coal depot and seized 10 truckloads of illegally stored coal worth Rs 1 crore.

The team, led by Dehri Town police station house officer (SHO) Dharmendra Kumar, conducted the raid at Pahleja village following a tip-off early on Wednesday morning.

Raw coal was stocked at the depot to be dispatched to Uttar Pradesh. Ten trucks carrying coal from Jharkhand were also seized but labourers and employees deployed at the depot gave the cops the slip during the six-hour operation.

SHO Dharmendra said the operation was launched against illegal coal transportation from Jharkhand on superintendent of police Manavjeet Singh Dhillon's order.

A named FIR has been lodged against the coal depot owner and the owners of the impounded trucks. "Action will be taken against the accused after collecting evidence against them," the SHO said.

The police had raided illegal coal-storage units at Manohara village in the district when then Rohtas superintendent of police Shivdeep Lande launched a crackdown.

The investigation had revealed that the illegal trade of dumping and burning of coal was on at Pahleja and Manohara for long. A senior officer reiterated on Wednesday that the administrative and police officials were firm on checking illegal mining and coal mafia.

"Stringent action would be taken against the mafia, which are causing loss to the exchequer and polluting the environment," he said.