About 700 metric tonnes of iron ore worth Rs ten lakh was seized during joint raids in Koida mines area in Sundargarh district by officials of Koida mines and district forest officials.
Koida mines sources said the iron ore was lifted and stored in dense reserved forest area by mafia gangs from two different mines for illegal transportation to different sponge iron units in the state and neighbouring West Bengal.
Koida forest ranger, Padmanav Rout, Koida mines officer, Surendra Nath Singh led the joint raids yesterday, police said.
