Guwahati: Contraband worth over Rs 17 lakh has been seized by the Special Task Force (STF) of Commercial Department of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) in the first month since its formation.
A consignment of foreign cigarettes (11,960 packets) worth approximately Rs 12 lakh was detected by the STF while being loaded on Tripura Sundari Express at Lumding railway station Thursday night.
This is the second major success of the STF within one month of its formation, an NFR statement said here today.
The Commercial Department had, for the first time in NFR, formed the STF on August 13 this year as a part of a special initiative for clean and transparent working.
The STF had recovered foreign-made cigarettes worth Rs. 5.5 lakh while being transported illegally in Guwahati Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express (15646) on August 18 at Guwahati Railway station.
The STF team not only checks ticketless travel, activities of touts and false declaration of goods being transported, but also keeps a close vigil on child abuse and human trafficking in railway premises.
The team will also sensitise the frontline railway staff in dealing with passengers and ensure proper payment by contractors of the Commercial Department to their staff, the statement added. (UNI)
