Rs 2.5 crore cash, thousands of cough syrup bottles seized in Bengal raid
A joint police operation in West Bengal's Malda district has uncovered around Rs 2.5 crore in cash, thousands of bottles of banned cough syrup and
A joint police operation in West Bengal's Malda district has uncovered around Rs 2.5 crore in cash, thousands of bottles of banned cough syrup and gold, with three people arrested during an overnight raid linked to an alleged drug smuggling network. The raid was conducted at a flat in Mangalbari, where police arrested Pintu Sarkar, described as an associate of alleged smuggler Mridul Ghosh, along with two others, officials said. Read Full Story The operation followed Ghosh's arrest last month and was carried out by teams from Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda districts with support from the state police's Special Operations Team. Police said investigators had developed fresh leads following Ghosh's arrest, which led them to the flat and the alleged associates.
POLICE TRACE MONEY, SMUGGLING NETWORK Officers are now trying to establish the source of the seized cash, determine who owns the flat and identify others allegedly linked to the smuggling network. The operation is part of a wider investigation into an alleged interstate and cross-border drug racket, with police continuing raids and questioning those arrested to trace the full network. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari described the operation as a "massive blow to an interstate and cross-border drug network". In a post on X, Adhikari praised the Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda district police for the raid and said Rs 2.4 crore in cash, thousands of bottles of banned cough syrup worth around Rs 90 lakh in the black market and about 20 grams of gold had been recovered.
"Our government maintains an absolute 'zero tolerance policy' against drugs, crime and illegal syndicates. West Bengal will remain steadfast in protecting its youth and ensuring that our soil is never used by criminal networks," Adhikari said. He added that interrogations were underway to uncover the wider network. "Interrogations (of the arrested accused) are underway to unearth the entire nexus and root out every single individual connected to this racket," he said. RAIDS CONTINUE IN BORDER AREAS Adhikari said raids were continuing in border areas and warned that the government would show no leniency towards those involved in drug trafficking. The latest seizure comes after the arrest of Mridul Ghosh last month, which police said provided leads that helped them identify his alleged associate and the other two suspects.
Investigators are now examining the seized cash and contraband while working to establish the roles of the three arrested men and identify other members of the alleged smuggling network. The operation in Malda is part of the police effort to uncover the full extent of the alleged racket and its interstate and cross-border links. Ends With PTI inputs
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