Tripura Crime Branch Charges Six in Major Cough Syrup Smuggling Case

Agartala: The Tripura Crime Branch has officially filed a charge sheet against six individuals involved in a large-scale Phensedyl smuggling operation. The legal action follows the discovery of 1.07 lakh bottles of the cough syrup, valued at approximately Rs 2 crore, on an express train at the Jirania railway station last October. Because the syrup contains codeine, it is frequently misused as an addictive drug, and the significant volume of this seizure previously sparked political controversy across the state.

Authorities initially tasked the Government Railway Police and the Special Task Force with the investigation before the Crime Branch took over the case. Officers successfully tracked and arrested five of the suspects across several states. Those taken into custody include Agartala residents Rajib Dasgupta and Arun Kumar Ghosh, Delhi residents Himangshu Bai and Sourav Tyagi, and Deep Prakash Gupta from Uttar Pradesh.

Investigators identified Apurba Ranjan Das, a resident of Boxanagar, as the primary leader of the smuggling ring. He remains at large, though he is included in the formal charge sheet submitted to the West Tripura district special court on Saturday. Prosecutors have requested a custodial trial, citing concerns that the accused might interfere with the judicial process if they are granted bail.