14,548 kg poppy seeds worth ₹2.18 crore seized from Sealdah Station

With the West Bengal Assembly elections approaching and the Model Code of Conduct in force, security agencies have intensified surveillance across railway stations and trains to curb illegal activities. In a major crackdown, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) seized a massive consignment of poppy seeds worth ₹2.18 crore from Sealdah Railway Station, marking one of the biggest recoveries in recent operations.

During the operation, a total of 258 sacks containing 14,548 kg of poppy seeds were recovered from the station premises. The estimated market value of the seized consignment stands at ₹2,18,22,600. The entire consignment has been handed over to the customs department for further legal action, officials said.

Parallel operations carried out by the RPF also led to the recovery of cannabis from multiple locations. At Dalkhola railway station, 45.8 kg of cannabis was seized from the Agartala–SMVT Bengaluru Humsafar Express, with an estimated value of ₹22.90 lakh. In a separate operation at Katihar railway station, 22.5 kg of cannabis worth ₹11.25 lakh was recovered from abandoned conditions and later handed over to GRPS Katihar.

These coordinated actions come as part of heightened vigilance ahead of the elections, with RPF teams conducting continuous checks to prevent illegal trafficking. The latest seizures highlight intensified enforcement efforts aimed at maintaining law and order and ensuring strict monitoring of transport networks during the poll period.