Sonamura: In a significant breakthrough against the rampant cross-border narcotics trade, Tripura Police have apprehended a 58-year-old man and seized a substantial quantity of dried cannabis from his residence in Sipahijala district.
The contraband, weighing 67.400 kilograms and valued at approximately Rs 8 lakh, was reportedly destined for smuggling into neighbouring Bangladesh. The raid was conducted at the home of Taher Mia, a resident of Matinagar, Gilamura, under Sonamura Police Station, an area known for its proximity to the international border.
According to Tapas Das, the Officer-in-Charge of Sonamura Police Station, the illicit substance was discovered meticulously hidden in four large plastic bags within Mia’s house.
During the initial questioning, Mia reportedly confessed that the consignment was part of a larger smuggling operation aimed at exploiting the lucrative market across the border.
Police sources indicate that while the haul is valued at around Rs 8 lakh in the local market, its value significantly inflates once it crosses into Bangladesh, where it fetches about 2,000 Bangladeshi Taka per kilogram, totalling over Rs 8.04 lakh.
A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Police believe that Mia is not a lone operator and that the racket involves several other individuals from the locality, with further arrests expected as the investigation unfolds. Officer-in-Charge Das stated that the accused will be presented before the High Court tomorrow, where the police will seek his remand to delve deeper into the network.
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