Massive seizure of illegal Burmese cigarettes at Assam–West Bengal border

Assam Police have intercepted a major consignment of Burmese cigarettes in a late-night operation at Srirampur in Gossaigaon, near the Assam–West Bengal border. The crackdown, led by Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta, targeted an organised smuggling network operating across state and international borders.

A container truck, bearing registration number MH 12 MV 3914, was stopped for inspection shortly after midnight on November 4. Police officials found 12,000 packets of Burmese-made cigarettes concealed within the vehicle’s cargo.

Two men, identified as Zul Fikar and Rabar Khan, both hailing from Uttarakhand, were arrested at the scene. They are suspected to be part of a wider network engaged in cross-border trafficking of foreign cigarettes and other contraband.

SP Mahatta confirmed that the seizure is part of a continuing campaign against smuggling and illegal trade in the region. “We are intensifying our efforts to dismantle the supply chain of such illegal goods entering Assam,” he said, adding that further investigations are underway to identify other members of the network.

Police sources said the operation highlights the growing challenge of smuggling along the Assam–West Bengal corridor, a known route for the illicit movement of goods from Myanmar and neighbouring regions.