Assam, July 27: Assam Police achieved another major success in its crackdown on drug trafficking after seizing a massive consignment of banned Escuf cough syrup worth an estimated ₹32 crore at the Churaibari checkpost in Sribhumi district. A truck driver has been arrested in connection with the seizure.
According to police, the operation was carried out during routine vehicle checks at the Churaibari watchpost on Monday afternoon. A Uttar Pradesh-registered goods truck (UP-53-ET-7181) drew suspicion due to its unusual movement, prompting officers led by Checkpost In-charge Niranjan Das to conduct a thorough inspection.
During the search, police discovered 31,650 bottles of Escuf syrup cleverly concealed behind cartons of eggs inside the truck. The driver, identified as Salam Ansari, was immediately taken into custody.
During preliminary interrogation, the accused reportedly told investigators that he is a resident of Birbhum district in West Bengal. The consignment was allegedly being transported from Ranchi, Jharkhand, to Agartala, Tripura. Police said each bottle costs around ₹500, but its value increases significantly in the illegal market, taking the estimated black-market value of the seized consignment to nearly ₹32 crore.
The entire consignment, along with the truck, has been seized. A case has been registered under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, and the accused will be produced before the Sribhumi district court with a request for police remand.
Investigators believe the seizure is linked to a larger interstate drug trafficking network. Police are questioning the accused to identify other individuals involved in the smuggling racket.
While authorities have made repeated large-scale drug seizures in recent months, concerns remain over the continued operation of the masterminds behind these trafficking networks. The latest bust has renewed calls for stronger and more coordinated enforcement efforts to curb drug smuggling along the region’s borders.
