In a major crackdown on drug smuggling, the police on Friday raided a truck at the Assam-Tripura border in Karimganj district and seized a huge quantity of Phensedyl, a cough syrup containing codeine, which is abused as an intoxicant.

The police found 35,300 bottles of Phensedyl packed in 350 cartons inside the truck, which was coming from Guwahati and heading towards Agartala. The market value of the seized Phensedyl is estimated to be around Rs 2 crore.

The bottles were seized from the truck bearing registration number MP-07-HB-7850

The police apprehended the truck driver, Rakmat Ali, and the handyman, Ashiq Ali, and registered a case against them under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The police suspect that the smugglers were trying to take advantage of the border fencing work to transport the contraband.

Earlier on June 24, troops of 43rd Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) Meghalaya in a joint operation with Baghmara police apprehended one Indian lady along with 179 bottles of Phensedyl.

Acting on a specific tip-off, troops of the BSF in collaboration with Baghmara police carried out a search operation in the house of one lady Namely Maithy Ch Marak resident of bordering village Phanda, South Garo Hills and impounded 179 Phensedyl bottles which were meant to be smuggled to Bangladesh.

The apprehended lady and seized phensedyl were handed over to Baghmara police for further legal action.