STF nabs 7 in Bengal drug bust, seizes ₹1.3 cr Yaba & ganja from Assam-Odisha trucks

In a major operation against drug trafficking, the Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police arrested seven interstate drug traffickers and seized narcotics worth over ₹1.3 crore within 48 hours. The operation targeted two separate shipments—one carrying Yaba tablets from Assam and the other transporting ganja from Odisha—both intercepted in Cooch Behar and Howrah districts.

On Friday, STF's Siliguri unit carried out a raid in the Station Chowpathy area of Cooch Behar's Kotwali police station jurisdiction. A twelve-wheeled truck, registered in Assam, was stopped for inspection. During the search, STF officers recovered more than five kilograms of Yaba tablets hidden in the driver's cabin. The estimated international market value of the seized Yaba is approximately ₹1 crore. According to the investigation, the consignment originated in Dimapur, Nagaland, and was being transported to West Bengal. Two suspects, Mohammad Sanayai (38) and Mohammad Rafijuddin (32), both from Thoubal district in Manipur, were arrested in connection with the seizure.

Meanwhile, in another operation on the same day, STF intercepted two trucks registered in Odisha near the Dhulagarh Toll Plaza in Howrah district. These trucks were carrying a large quantity of ganja, hidden beneath boxes of fruits and flowers. A total of 101 kilograms of ganja was seized from the trucks, with an estimated value of ₹30 lakh in the local market. The shipment was being transported from Odisha to supply local traders in West Bengal. Five traffickers were arrested: Subal Digal (30), Ajay Behera (20), Sagar Mahanand (21), Birendra Digal (21), and Sanant Behera (19), all residents of Kandhamal and Boudh districts in Odisha.

Both cases were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Kotwali police station in Cooch Behar and the Sankrail police station in Howrah. The STF has stated that these seizures are part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the illegal drug trade in the state. Investigations are continuing to identify other individuals involved in the trafficking networks.

STF authorities noted that drug trafficking routes often involve interstate cooperation, with Bengal serving as a key transit point for narcotics moving between northeastern and eastern states. As part of their broader campaign, the STF has been actively targeting such drug syndicates and intensifying surveillance across the state to prevent further trafficking operations.