Agartala, October 29: Police seized 308 bottles of illicit cough syrup and 17 packets of dry cannabis in two separate anti-narcotics operations in North Tripura, with the total estimated black-market value of the seized substances reaching around Rs 53 lakh. Two drivers were detained.
In the first operation, police at the Churaibari check gate intercepted a four-wheeler truck (AS01 UC-9549) travelling from Silchar to Agartala on Wednesday night. A search led to the recovery of 308 bottles of cough syrup, including Escof-PDL, Maxitox and Fair Dyl, concealed in four cartons among other online-order goods. The seized substances were valued at approximately Rs 3 lakh. Driver Enam Uddin Laskar, a resident of Kalachhara in Hailakandi district, was detained.
In the second operation, Kadamtala police intercepted a goods-carrying Bolero (TR01AR-1642) at the Jherjheri naka point on Tuesday night following a tip-off. A search in the presence of Dharmanagar Sub-Divisional Police Officer Jayanta Karmakar, DCM Suman Das and a forensic team led to the recovery of 17 packets of dry cannabis from a concealed compartment in the vehicle's body. The estimated black-market value of the cannabis is around Rs 50 lakh.
The driver, Kishan Ghosh (29), a resident of Subhashnagar, East Pratapgarh, Agartala, was detained. During preliminary questioning, he allegedly told police that the cannabis had been loaded near the Khayerpur bypass in Agartala and was intended for smuggling into Assam.
Police have initiated investigations under the relevant narcotics laws in both cases.
