Indian Border Security Force Thwarts Major Narcotic Smuggling Attempt into Nepal, Arrests Two

Rautahat. The Indian Border Security Force (SSB) foiled an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of narcotic drugs into Nepal via the Nepal-India border, arresting two individuals. Approximately 150,000 banned psychotropic tablets were recovered from them.

Based on specific intelligence received from the 'A' Company Athmohan-based intelligence setup of SSB 71st Battalion, security alertness was heightened after learning that a large consignment of banned drugs was being transported from the East Champaran area of India towards Nepal. It was revealed that the smugglers were using an electric auto-rickshaw to transport the goods from Dhaka (East Champaran) to Jharokhar, and various 'liners' were deployed to evade security personnel.

The received information was immediately coordinated with the DC Ops office of the 71st Battalion and the Jharokhar Police. A special operation was conducted by a joint team of F Company Jamunia and Jharokhar Police under the direction of Assistant Commandant Bishwajit Tiwari.

The large quantity of psychotropic drugs was discovered when a suspicious electric auto-rickshaw, number: BR 05 RA 4481, was stopped and inspected near Amwa village, approximately 2 kilometers from the BP Border Pillar Number 357/02 on the Indian side, at around 5:30 PM on Saturday evening.

During the inspection conducted in the presence of the vehicle driver, 495 packets of Tramadol 50mg, hidden in five cartons, were recovered. The SSB stated that each packet contained 300 tablets, totaling 148,500 narcotic tablets recovered. Preliminary investigation revealed that the drugs were being smuggled towards Nepal.

The recovered drugs and the arrested individuals have been handed over to the Jharokhar Police Post for further investigation and legal action. The arrested individuals were identified by the SSB as Tapas Kumar, 22, and Gulshan Kumar, 22, both residents of Basti Colony, Motihari, East Champaran district, Bihar state, India.

Meanwhile, in another operation by the SSB 71st Battalion, a young man was arrested while attempting to smuggle cannabis from Nepal to India. A joint special patrol team of 'B' Company Mahuawa and Bihar Police apprehended 22-year-old Krishna Kumar along with approximately 2 kg of cannabis. He is a resident of Ward No. 15, Madhubanjitoura, East Champaran district, Bihar, India.

He was arrested near Dharhari village, about two and a half kilometers away from Border Pillar Number 376. It is suspected that the recovered cannabis was being smuggled from Nepal to India. Assistant Commandant Bishwajit Tiwari of SSB Piprakothi informed that the process of handing over the arrested person and the seized goods to the Mahuawa Police Post for further investigation is underway.