Banned cough syrup worth Rs 4.5 crore seized from goods train in Jirania

In a major breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking in a joint operation banned cough syrup worth around Rs 4.5 crore has been recovered from a goods train at Jirania railway station under West Tripura district on Friday, which arrived from Delhi.

The recovery was made following a search operation by a joint team of Government Railway Police (GRP), West Tripura district police, Customs department and Special Task Force (STF) on Thursday evening that commenced around 5.30 pm and concluded in the early hours of Friday, said police.

“During the coordinated raid, the teams successfully recovered 90,000 bottles of banned Escuf syrup (100 ml each) from two goods train wagons stationed at Jirania railway station in West Tripura,” said police.

The Escuf Cough Syrup, banned in India, contains Codeine Phosphate and Triprolidine Hydrochloride, substances commonly misused as narcotics in India and neighbouring Bangladesh.

The estimated value of the recovered drugs, subsequently seized, is approximately Rs 4.5 crore in the illegal market, the official added.

The seized items were found unclaimed and hidden in two wagons alongside other cargo. The consignment has been handed over to the Customs Department for further investigation and necessary legal action.

Police added that a specific case has been registered at Agartala GRPS under sections 21(C)/29 of the NDPS Act. So far, no arrest has yet been made in connection with the seizure.