Border Security Force authorities on Saturday arrested a postman from Swarupnagar of North 24-Parganas for his alleged role in smuggling cough syrups to Bangladesh.

BSF sources said that accused Talat Mahmood, 45, attached to the Duttapara post office, would make fake parcels using his official position to transport phensedyl syrup to racketeers along the India-Bangladesh border. The cough syrup is reportedly in great demand as an addictive stimulant.

"We had a tip-off that the postman had been using his official position to make fake parcels carrying the cough syrup bottles," a BSF official said.

The accused postman was handed over to Swarupnagar police along with the seized items. The police arrested Mahmood and produced him in a court in Basirhat that sent him to 10 days in judicial custody.

BSF jawans attached to the 112nd Battalion, acting on specific information, nabbed Mahmood and found on him 38 bottles of cough syrup.

During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed that for over seven months he had been making fake parcels by using the information details of multiple senders and receivers — actual customers of the post office — along with the barcodes of previously delivered parcels to create the fake ones.

A BSF spokesperson said this was a new modus operandi being used by smugglers.

He used to note down various senders' and receivers' details and created fresh printouts along with a barcode to make a parcel with cough syrups look authentic. He later used the details on the fake parcel to deceive the BSF personnel," a BSF spokesperson said.

BSF authorities apprised the postal department about the alleged role of the postman in smuggling.