SHILLONG: The Customs Headquarters Preventive Unit, North East Region intercepted one truck at Mawryngkneng in East Khasi Hills on Saturday and recovered 54 packets of ganja (cannabis) weighing 534.470 kg which were concealed in a specially built secret chamber made on the floor of the truck.
In a statement, Deputy Commissioner (Customs) I.R. Kharkongor said that few bottles of phensedyl cough linctus were also recovered from the truck.
“Although the truck had a Nagaland registration at the time of interception, registration paper issued by vehicle registration authority in Assam was also recovered,” the statement said.
“The ganja and the truck have been seized under the provisions of NDPS Act, 1985 and the driver of the truck hailing from Punjab has been arrested. Total value of seizure has been estimated at Rs. 69.45 lakh,” the official said.
The consignment of Ganja originated from Tripura and was bound for Bihar where its demand has gone up considerably since imposition of prohibition on liquor.
Recovery of phensedyl, a codeine based cough formulation which is used as alternative to narcotic drugs in neighbouring Bangladesh, indicates that this truck used to carry cannabis from Tripura to Bihar and in its return journey from Bihar (Contd on P-10)
Cannabis worth over Rs 69 lakh…
(Contd from P-3) transported phensedyl to Agartala in the specially made secret chamber for smuggling to Bangladesh.
Initial investigation suggests involvement of organised gang in this illicit trade, the statement added.
