DRI Seizes 6.5 Crore in Illicit Cough Syrup at Agartala Station

Agartala: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence agents seized 55,626 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup at Agartala Railway Station. The haul is worth 6.54 crore rupees. One man is behind bars. Agents found the illicit stash hidden inside iron drums packed into a railway parcel van. The shipment arrived from Katihar on June 30.

"Acting on specific intelligence received from the Senior Intelligence Officer of the DRI, Agartala Regional Unit, a joint examination of the consignment was carried out on July 1 in the presence of officials from the DRI, Railway Protection Force, SIB, RPSF, Assam Rifles and railway authorities," said an official. The search stretched through the night and wrapped up early July 2.

Authorities arrested Subrata Deb, a 34-year-old manager for B.K. Enterprise. Deb showed up at the station to claim the drums. Records list a Chandan Verman as the sender from Katihar. The DRI has opened a case to track down the rest of the smuggling ring.