Agartala, April 16, 2026: In a major breakthrough against drug trafficking, Assam Police seized a large consignment of banned cough syrup worth approximately ₹1.5 crore from a truck at the Churaibari Watch Post along the Tripura–Assam border on Wednesday.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, police launched a naka checking operation early in the morning at around 6:30 am. During the drive, a suspicious truck bearing registration number AS-26AC-1102, en route from Assam to Tripura, was intercepted.

Though the vehicle initially appeared to be loaded with watermelons, a thorough search led to the recovery of 14,250 bottles of codeine phosphate-based cough syrup concealed beneath the fruit. The contraband was packed in 95 cartons, carefully hidden to evade detection.

Confirming the seizure, Sribhumi district DSP Anirban Sharma stated that each bottle has an estimated black market value of around ₹1,000, taking the total value of the seized consignment to nearly ₹1.5 crore.

Two individuals, including the truck driver Nazrul Islam, were arrested in connection with the case. The truck has also been seized, and a case has been registered under relevant sections of the NDPS Act.

During preliminary interrogation, the driver claimed ignorance about the illegal consignment, stating that he was tasked with transporting a newly purchased vehicle loaded with watermelons from Guwahati to Agartala.

Meanwhile, DSP Sharma reiterated the Assam government’s firm stance against narcotics, asserting that efforts to build a drug-free society will continue unabated. He added that a detailed investigation is underway to identify other individuals involved in the smuggling network, including the owner of the vehicle and the origin and destination of the consignment.

Police officials indicated that further arrests may follow as the probe progresses.