Agartala, Oct 17:
In a major crackdown on the illegal transportation of narcotic substances, a joint team of law enforcement agencies seized as many as 90,000 bottles of banned Escuf Cough Syrup from two goods train wagons stationed at Jirania Railway Station under West Tripura district.
The large-scale operation was jointly conducted by the Government Railway Police (GRP), West Tripura District Police, Customs Department, and the Special Task Force (STF). Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the teams launched a coordinated search operation around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, which continued until the early hours of Friday.
According to a police statement, the raid led to the recovery of 90,000 bottles of Escuf Cough Syrup (100 ml each), containing Codeine Phosphate, a controlled narcotic substance under the NDPS Act. The contraband was found concealed inside two goods train wagons bearing numbers 31032457043 and 30030010892.
Preliminary estimates suggest that the market value of the seized consignment is approximately Rs 2 crore. Authorities suspect that the banned syrup was being smuggled for illicit sale across the northeastern region and possibly beyond.
Police sources said that a specific case has been registered at the Agartala Government Railway Police Station (GRPS) under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and a detailed investigation has been initiated to identify those involved in the trafficking network.
Senior officials confirmed that further inquiries are underway to trace the source and intended destination of the seized consignment. They also reiterated the state’s commitment to maintaining strict surveillance over railway routes frequently used for narcotics smuggling.
