Paradip, Nov. 6: Local police have busted an inter-state racket, thriving in lifting trucks from the national highways, bringing relief to truck-operators of this part of the state.

The racket was lifting trucks parked at less-crowded places on National Highway 5(A) after subjecting the vehicles’ crews with sedatives.

The police have recovered four trucks from the gang. It is believed that the inter-state gang was involved in lifting about 50 trucks in the last one year.

Picking up trucks from the NH-5(A), the gang members, who also knew driving, were dispatching these to Balasore district. Later, the stolen consignments used to head to Calcutta for prospective buyers.

The arrested members of the gang were Seikh Fakir Ali, Shankar Biswal, Seikh Munir, Siba Nayak, Raja Behera and Rajendra Nanda. They hailed from Paradip, Tirtol, Mahanaga, Salipur and Mahakalpada areas. Truck-lifting apart, they were also involved in some incidents of highway robberies.

A country-made revolver, some cash and six mobile phones were seized from them, said Samir Kumar Rout, sub-inspector, Paradip lock police station.

“The gang members were meticulously executing their plans. They used to target truck drivers who stopped at roadside eateries. At the eateries, the gang members used to befriend the crews of the trucks and mix sedatives in their food. Then they used to flee with the trucks,” said the sub-inspector.

The stolen trucks were refurbished and given a new look in motor garages in Balasore owned by the gang. Armed with fake registration numbers, the stolen trucks were then swiftly driven to Calcutta for resale.

Skilled drivers were also part of the racket, said a police officer. A team of officials had rushed to Balasore and Calcutta as search was on to apprehend about a dozen of other persons involved in the organised racket, said a police officer. The police also said the racket had their presence in suburban Cuttack, Berhampur and Andhra Pradesh.

“In the last one year, we have managed to recover about a dozen of stolen trucks from the NH-5(A), which is also known as Paradip-Daitary Expressway. We are hopeful of further recovery apart from arresting more members of the lifting gang. Since January 2011, as many as 26 truck-lifting cases have been reported in the Paradip police station area. A special squad has been formed to nab the truck-lifters,” said sub-divisional police officer Shantanu Kumar Das.