Assam: South Salmara Mankachar police bust major drug smuggling racket

South Salmara Mankachar Police launched a massive crackdown on drug trafficking, successfully seizing narcotics worth more than Rs 2 crore in two separate operations on Saturday. 

The coordinated efforts led to the recovery of a large quantity of Yaba tablets and Phensedyl cough syrup, both notorious for their widespread abuse and illegal trade across the Indo-Bangladesh border.

In the first operation, a special anti-narcotics raid was conducted in Shotimari-II, a border village under Mankachar Police Station. Acting on intelligence, police discovered a consignment of 8,000 Yaba tablets hidden in sacks of local betel nuts at the residence of two individuals—Sakuwat Hussain and Sanowar Hussain. The consignment had been smuggled from Manipur and was set to be thrown over the border fence later that night. 

However, as the police team, led by the Additional SP (HQ) Pratap Das and officers from Mankachar PS, arrived at the location, both suspects managed to escape. The seized tablets, weighing 945 grams (including packaging), were packed in a brown carton and tested positive for methamphetamine. The street value of the contraband is estimated to be around ₹2 crore. An FIR is being registered, and investigations are ongoing to track down the accused and dismantle the larger trafficking network.

In a separate intelligence-based operation, police intercepted a major consignment of Phensedyl cough syrup in College Village under Mankachar PS. The police team, led by OC Mankachar PS Inspector Dipak Bargayari and WSI Puja Hazarika, acted swiftly on a tip-off about a local supplier, Rezaul alias Bulli, who was preparing to hand over a large quantity of the banned cough syrup to two individuals from Mahendraganj, Meghalaya. The police intercepted the suspects at Sialtari-Chamaibil NEC Road while they were riding a numberless NTorq scooty towards Kakripara, carrying a suspicious carton bag.

The arrested individuals, identified as Prebinath Marak (50) and Jaiseng Sangma (28), both residents of Mirenggipara under Mahendraganj PS in Ampati district, Meghalaya, were found in possession of 150 bottles (15 liters) of Phensedyl cough syrup, a highly regulated substance due to its codeine content. The contraband was concealed inside a biscuit carton covered with a sugar bag. Along with the illicit substance, police also seized the unregistered NTorq scooty and two mobile phones, a Redmi smartphone and a Jio Bharat keypad handset. The entire seizure process was conducted under videographic documentation, and an FIR is being lodged to initiate further legal proceedings.

These back-to-back operations reflect the South Salmara Mankachar Police’s commitment to tackling drug trafficking along the Indo-Bangla border. The region has long been a hotspot for smuggling, with traffickers using creative methods to transport narcotics across the border. The police have intensified their intelligence network and field operations to curb the menace, ensuring that those involved in the trade are brought to justice. Investigations are ongoing to trace the larger network behind these illegal activities, and authorities have vowed to continue their relentless efforts toward a drug-free society.