Assam: Massive drug haul in Goalpara, nearly 12,000 Tapentadol tablets seized, one arrested

In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, the Dhudhnoi Police in Assam's Goalpara district seized a large consignment of narcotic tablets early Thursday morning. Acting on a confidential tip-off, the police intercepted a vehicle on the Dhudhnoi-Siluk connecting road and confiscated 11,950 tablets of Tapentadol, a prescription drug often misused as a narcotic.

The accused, identified as Moinul Islam, a resident of Rakhasini Garopara Part 2 under Mornoi Police Station, was arrested during the operation. According to police sources, the consignment was being transported from Cooch Behar in West Bengal to Baghmara in Meghalaya in a vehicle bearing registration number AS-26F-3155.

In a bid to evade detection, the tablets had been ingeniously concealed within the engine compartment of the vehicle. However, the alertness of the Dhudhnoi Police thwarted the attempt, leading to the seizure of the narcotics, weighing approximately 5.006 kilograms. Upon interrogation, Moinul Islam confessed that the consignment was worth an estimated Rs 5.3 lakh in the illicit market.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dipankar Dekaraja of Goalpara district was present at the scene and supervised the operation. Police sources further revealed that two other individuals, believed to be accomplices of the arrested man, managed to escape during the raid.