A major drug smuggling attempt was foiled on Monday when Assam’s Churaibari police intercepted a truck carrying a large consignment of dry cannabis allegedly smuggled from Tripura.
The incident has raised serious questions about the role and effectiveness of several police stations in Tripura, including Churaibari outpost and others situated along the national highway.
According to police sources, around 10 a.m., a 12-wheeler truck (registration number NL 06 A-7358) crossed the Tripura border from Jirania in West Tripura district and arrived at the Churaibari checkpoint on the Assam side. During a routine search, police discovered 68 packets of dry cannabis cleverly stacked on both sides of the truck. The seized contraband weighed 370 kilograms.
Subdivisional Police Officer (SDPO) Anirban Sharma stated that the estimated black-market value of the seized cannabis is well over ?2 crore. Police also arrested the truck driver, identified as Rakesh Chakraborty, a resident of Khambarbari area under Jirania subdivision in West Tripura.
During interrogation, the driver confessed that he was transporting the cannabis from Jirania to Lumshnong in Meghalaya for a payment of ?30,000. He further admitted that he had smuggled cannabis out of Tripura on previous occasions as well. A case has been registered against him under relevant sections of the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, the incident has once again highlighted the alleged inefficiency and possible complicity of some Tripura police officials. The truck managed to pass through multiple police stations along the national highway without being detected, raising concerns over the repeated failures of Tripura’s anti-narcotics operations.
