Bhubaneswar, June 29: Chain snatching has turned into an organised racket in the capital with snatchers acting in league with goldsmiths.

The nexus between snatchers and goldsmiths came to notice last night as city police held six persons, including four goldsmiths, in connection with a few recent snatching incidents in the city.

While two of those arrested were goons who used to snatch gold chains from people, four others were goldsmiths who helped dispose off the loot.

The police have recovered 25 gold chains worth more than Rs 6 lakh, two motorcycles and a four-wheeler from the accused persons.

According to the police, the snatchers, identified as Pravat Mahakud, 37, alias Lambu and Bhabagrahi Barik, 30, were involved in as many as 25 cases under different police stations of the capital in the last six months. The four goldsmiths were identified as Subash Chandra Mohapatra, 39, from Khurda, Ashok Kumar Sahoo, 31, from Kendrapara, Sudarshan Bera, 27, and Arup Bairi, 35, from Cuttack.

The snatcher duo, who hailed from Kendrapara district, allegedly used to return to their native place after committing crimes in the city. On their way to Kendrapara, they used to sell the gold ornaments to these goldsmiths.

On June 25, Debashree Jena lodged a complaint with Nayapalli police about two youths snatching away her gold necklace while she was returning home from her work place. The police registered a case and began investigation. They soon discovered that veteran criminal Lambu was involved in the case. “Our team arrested Lambu from Kendrapara yesterday. His associate Bhabagrahi was also arrested from the same area,” said deputy commissioner of police Nitinjeet Singh.

“We also nabbed some persons who had received the gold ornaments from these goons,” the DCP added.

The accused were booked under section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) of the IPC and were produced in court this afternoon. Talking about the modus operandi of the snatcher duo, the DCP said they would come to the city for committing crime and would return back the same day or the next day.

Lambu had earlier been to jail on several occasions. He had been arrested for being involved in more than 40 cases of crime in the capital. After coming out of jail on bail, he again took to snatching.

“They had motorcycles with fast pick up which helped them escape,” said the DCP.

The police said that the duo had also given valuable information about other gangs involved in snatching. “We have detained another group of snatchers and are interrogating them,” said a police officer.