90,000 Bottles of Banned Eskuf Cough Syrup Worth Rs. 2 Crore Seized in Tripura

Massive Seizure of 90,000 Banned Eskuf Cough Syrup Bottles on Train in Tripura

On Friday, 90,000 banned cough syrup bottles worth Rs. 2 crore were seized in a goods train at Jirania railway station. The recovery was made following an operation on Thursday, which was initiated early in the morning at around 4:30 a.m.

The officials said, “In a major breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking, a joint operation was carried out by the Government Railway Police Force (GRP), customs department, and Special Task Force (STF) on Thursday.”

The Major Seizure and Operation Details

A joint operation was conducted by the Government Railway Police (GRP), Customs Department, and the Special Task Force (STF) in Tripura, resulting in the significant recovery of 90,000 bottles of banned Eskuf cough syrup. 

The consignment was seized from two goods train wagons stationed at Jirania railway station in the West Tripura district. The raid began on Thursday evening and concluded in the early hours of the following Friday. The seized cough syrup, with an estimated market value of approximately Rs 2 crore, was found unclaimed.

The Eskuf syrup is a controlled substance that contains two active ingredients, Codeine Phosphate and Triprolidine Hydrochloride, which are often abused as an intoxicant and are prohibited under the NDPS Act. 

Additionally, a particular instance has been registered at Agartala GRPS; however, no captures have been made so far related to this particular confiscation. The train with goods was reported to have come from Delhi with other freight, including chicken feed and rice.

About Drug Trafficking in Tripura

The confiscation of the huge Eskuf shipment is just a small part of the more extensive fight against drug smuggling in the area. The state of Tripura, which has a long border with Bangladesh, is considered a point of border smuggling and thus, a major route for the illegal trade of drugs. The cough syrup being confiscated is reputed to be very popular in Bangladesh, where it is sold at a much higher price in the black market.

The successful work of the security forces adds to their previous major drug haul in Tripura, where security forces confiscated narcotics worth over Rs 134.50 crore during the last three weeks. The different operations highlight the commitment of the Tripura Police, Assam Rifles, Customs Department, and Special Task Force to fight against drug trafficking and keep a watchful eye over the northeastern region.