Tripura Police, Assam Rifles seize 177 cartons of smuggled burmese cigarettes

In a major crackdown on cross-border smuggling, Tripura Police and Assam Rifles have seized a total of 177 cartons of smuggled Burmese-origin cigarettes in separate operations conducted in North Tripura and West Tripura districts.

Late Sunday night, police personnel from Dharmanagar Police Station intercepted a luxury vehicle during a naka checking operation near the Anandabazar SPO camp. 

The vehicle, bearing registration number TR-05-G-0597, was found to be transporting seven cartons—each containing 10,000 Burmese-made cigarettes—totaling 70,000 sticks.

“Acting on specific intelligence and as part of routine checks, we intercepted the vehicle and seized a consignment of smuggled cigarettes from Myanmar,” said Police Officer Suleman Reang, who led the night operation. “Three individuals were apprehended, and legal action has been initiated. Our crackdown on cigarette smuggling will continue relentlessly.”

The arrested individuals have been identified as Sourav Sinha of Damcherra and Prakash Debnath and Biswajit Debnath, both residents of Chamtila under Panisagar subdivision. Police also clarified that initial reports of nine cartons being seized were inaccurate—the actual recovery stood at seven cartons.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation, the Assam Rifles intercepted a massive consignment of foreign-brand cigarettes near Chandrapur on the outskirts of Agartala.

Based on actionable intelligence, Assam Rifles personnel recovered 170 cartons of contraband cigarettes, with an estimated value of ₹5.1 crore in the international market. The seized items were later handed over to the Customs Department for further legal proceedings.

Officials said this operation underscores Assam Rifles’ ongoing commitment to curbing cross-border smuggling and preserving national economic security. Surveillance and patrolling have been intensified along vulnerable stretches of the Indo-Bangladesh border to disrupt illegal trade networks.

Both seizures mark a significant success in Tripura’s fight against contraband trade, with investigations currently underway to trace the larger smuggling network involved.