The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials in Agartala confiscated a significant amount of banned cough syrup valued at over Rs 6.54 crore from a goods train arriving from Bihar. This seizure, comprising 55,626 bottles of Eskuf and Fairdyl Cough Syrup, marks the second-largest recovery of such illegal substances in Tripura from a goods train.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, DRI officials, along with personnel from Assam Rifles, Railway Protection Force (RPF), and other security agencies, intercepted the consignment and apprehended Subrata Deb (34), who is reportedly the manager of a private business firm in Tripura’s Khowai district. Deb was arrested at the Agartala Railway Station while attempting to take delivery of the illegal consignment.
The banned cough syrup, containing Codeine Phosphate and Triprolidine Hydrochloride, substances commonly misused as narcotics, was booked from Katihar in Bihar and transported in a High Capacity Parcel Van attached to the goods train. The DRI has initiated legal proceedings under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and is conducting further investigations to uncover the source, intended recipients, and the broader network involved in the smuggling operation.
Last year, a similar incident occurred on October 17 when the Tripura Police Crime Branch seized a substantial quantity of banned Eskuf cough syrup worth around Rs 5.4 crore from a goods train. The train, carrying various commodities, had arrived at Jirania Railway Station in West Tripura from Delhi. Rajib Dasgupta (42), identified as a key player in the racket, was among those arrested, shedding light on a significant drug trafficking network operating in northeastern states.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and other security agencies have intercepted narcotics and contraband, including marijuana, on multiple occasions from trains operating between Tripura and other regions, highlighting the increasing misuse of the railway network by smugglers for illegal substance transportation.
