Daijiworld Media Network - Agartala
Agartala, Oct 9: The Assam Rifles, in coordination with Customs officials, have seized 501 kg of ganja worth approximately Rs 2.50 crore in Tripura’s Khowai district, officials said on Friday.
A Defence spokesperson said the joint operation was conducted on Thursday evening following intelligence inputs and sustained surveillance as part of a crackdown on narcotics trafficking.
The joint team pursued a suspected vehicle from West Sonatala, with the chase ending at Baikhuntapur village, around 18 km short of Hezamara block, near the boundary between West Tripura and Khowai districts.
However, the driver managed to escape during the operation. No arrests were reported in connection with the seizure.
The recovered contraband has been handed over to Customs authorities for further investigation and legal proceedings, an official statement said. The seizure reflects continued efforts by the Assam Rifles and other agencies to disrupt narcotics trafficking networks operating in the Northeast.
In a separate operation on October 6, the Assam Rifles and Customs officials seized 340 kg of ganja worth approximately Rs 1.74 crore in Khowai district.
Police officials said the state police, Assam Rifles, Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and other security forces frequently conduct joint operations to destroy illegal ganja cultivation across the state, particularly in Sepahijala district, which shares a border with Bangladesh.
According to a police official, dry ganja produced in Tripura is largely smuggled to other states, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where it fetches higher prices rather than being consumed locally.
Consignments of dry ganja are frequently intercepted during transportation in trucks, small vehicles and even passenger trains, the official said.
Residents, including women, have claimed that they cultivate ganja in hilly and inaccessible areas as a means of livelihood.
The police official said investigations had, on several occasions, revealed that forest land and other government land had been encroached upon and illegally used for cannabis cultivation.
The official added that the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, prohibits the illegal cultivation, possession, sale, purchase and consumption of narcotic and psychotropic substances. Violations can attract heavy fines and imprisonment of up to 20 years.