BSF seizes 29,700 bottles of Bangladesh-bound contraband syrup in Tripura

A large consignment of Bangladesh-bound contraband cough syrup, mostly used by drug addicts, has been seized by the BSF near Agartala in a joint operation with Customs Department.

During the search on Sunday, the joint team found around 29700 bottles of Phensedyl and Eskul Cough Syrup having market value of about Rs 2.8 million under sacks of onion which was brought in the truck to conceal the contraband drug consignment.

Owner and driver of the truck Haradhan Pawanbashi Datta, 47, a resident of Nagpur, Maharashtra, was apprehended along with three mobile phones and four SIMs

The joint operation was planned by BSF troops of 195 Battalion of BOP Nischintpur and officials of BSF Sector Gokulnagar along with DPF Custom Agartala, according to NP Singh, DC (G) BSF Gokulnagar.

At the early hours of Sunday, a truck bearing No. NL 02 Q 0411 near Amatali on Amtali-Khayerpur was detained.

It was learned from the detained driver that the consignment was loaded from somewhere at Indore, Madhya Pradesh a week ago and was supposed to be delivered at Maharajganj Bazar at Agartala.

Few days back, a warehouse was raided jointly by BSF and Police in Indranagar area Agartala, on information of secret source of BSF, from where large quantity of Phensedyl was seized and owner of warehouse Apu Chakraborty involved in illegal Phensedyl business was arrested.

Phensedyl and other cough syrup having codeine phosphate are smuggled to Bangladesh through unfenced border areas of Tripura.

In Bangladesh demand of Phensedyle and other such cough syrups is high as these cough syrups are used for intoxication in Bangladesh.