Tripura Police Crime Branch arrested a key kingpin in a ₹5.4 crore drug smuggling case involving 1,07,800 banned ESkuf cough syrup bottles. Authorities continue operations to nab other culprits in the cross-border narcotics network operating across Northeast India.
The Tripura Police Crime Branch has arrested one of the main kingpins behind a massive drug trafficking network spanning the North-eastern region. The arrest comes in connection with the seizure of banned cough syrup bottles worth approximately ₹5.4 crore from a goods train arriving in Tripura from Delhi earlier this month.
According to officials, Rajib Dasgupta (42), identified as a prime operator in the smuggling racket, was arrested late Thursday night. His arrest follows the recovery of 1,07,800 bottles of banned ESkuf cough syrup from a goods train at Jirania railway station in West Tripura district on October 17.
A senior police officer from the Tripura Police Crime Branch’s Anti-Narcotics Wing (TPCB) said that the arrest is a crucial step toward dismantling a widespread trafficking network that has been operating across several Northeastern states. “Another major peddler involved in the case is still absconding. Raids are being conducted in multiple locations to apprehend the fugitive,” the official stated, adding that further investigations are ongoing to identify others linked to the illicit supply chain.
Joint Operation Uncovers Massive Drug Haul
Acting on precise intelligence inputs, a joint operation was conducted by the Tripura Police, Assam Rifles, Government Railway Police (GRP), Special Task Force (STF), and the Customs Department. The search began soon after a goods train carrying chicken feed, rice, and other commodities arrived from Delhi on October 16.
Upon inspection, authorities discovered several unclaimed boxes hidden in two wagons among other cargo items. The boxes contained the banned ESkuf cough syrup, which is widely abused as a narcotic due to its high content of Codeine Phosphate and Triprolidine Hydrochloride—both controlled substances under Indian law.
Officials confirmed that the recovered consignment was immediately handed over to the Customs Department for further legal proceedings and laboratory analysis.
Smuggling Route and Cross-Border Links
Investigators believe the consignment was destined for illegal export to Bangladesh, where the demand for narcotic cough syrups remains high. Tripura, which shares an 856-km-long porous border with Bangladesh, is considered a vulnerable corridor for cross-border trafficking and smuggling operations.
While most of the border is fenced, certain stretches remain exposed, providing passage for drug smugglers, illegal traders, and infiltrators. Authorities also suspect that the ESkuf bottles originated from pharmaceutical hubs in North India, and were being transported via Mizoram and southern Assam before entering Tripura for cross-border smuggling.
“Tripura’s strategic location makes it both a transit and destination point for narcotics traffickers operating between India and Bangladesh,” said a senior law enforcement officer.
Stringent Vigilance and Ongoing Crackdown
With this latest seizure, Tripura Police and security forces have confiscated illegal drugs worth over ₹136 crore in various operations within just three weeks. The Crime Branch has intensified its crackdown under the state government’s ‘Drugs-Free Tripura’ initiative, which aims to curb the smuggling and consumption of narcotics in the region.
The Assam Rifles, often referred to as the “Sentinels of the Northeast,” continues to coordinate closely with other enforcement agencies to strengthen surveillance along border areas. Officials reiterated their commitment to dismantling the region’s organized drug networks and preventing narcotics from entering the international market.
Legal and Social Implications
The use and sale of ESkuf cough syrup have been banned under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, due to its potential for abuse. Health officials have long warned about the syrup’s addictive effects, which have devastated many young lives across the region.
The recent seizure has once again underscored the growing challenge of pharmaceutical drug abuse in India’s Northeast, where cough syrup smuggling has become a major concern alongside other forms of narcotics trafficking.
Authorities confirmed that Rajib Dasgupta has been remanded into police custody for interrogation, and more arrests are likely in the coming days as the investigation progresses.
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“The fight against narcotics requires coordinated efforts at multiple levels — law enforcement, intelligence sharing, and public awareness,” said an official. “This arrest is just the beginning. We are determined to bring every individual involved to justice.”
