The BSF and directorate of revenue intelligence officials on Friday seized a consignment of 168,500 Yaba tablets valued at over Rs 8.52 crore from Matinagar village in Sepahijala district of Tripura.
BSF deputy inspector-general A.K. Yadav on Friday said this is the largest amount of the drug seized in the state so far. “It is likely these items were about to be smuggled into Bangladesh. The search started at 9pm on Thursday and ended around 2am,” Yadav said.
He said they had information about the consignment being stored in the house of Tunu Miah in Matinagar. His house was cordoned off on Thursday.
Miah, who resides in Bishalgarh sub-division at present, had given his Matinagar house to his nephew Soyag Miah for use. The occupants of the house fled after seeing the forces approaching.
“Two cartons and a polythene bag containing Yaba tablets were recovered from the house. Two cars, which were being used for transportation of the drugs, were seized as well,” Yadav said.
Meanwhile, BSF troops deployed along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura also seized 1,145 bottles of Phensedyl, 31kg ganja, three cattle and other miscellaneous contraband with a combined market value of Rs 14,69,828 along with 1,00,000 Taka on Friday.
Saleah Ahmed of Assam’s Patherkandi village was arrested on Friday in possession of 9,800 Yaba tablets from Tarakpur village in North district.
North Tripura superintendent of police Bhanupada Chakraborty told this correspondent that the seized narcotics have an estimated market value of Rs 30 lakh.
Recent trends show drug peddlers have shifted from smuggling cannabis to Yaba tablets since these are small, nearly odourless and easily concealable.
Contraband recovered: The Moreh battalion of Assam Rifles in Manipur recovered contraband valued at Rs 3.75 crore near the Indo-Myanmar border on Thursday.
An unidentified person attempting to cross the border from Myanmar side along with the contraband, fled back in panic dropping the contraband, after being challenged by the security troops.
