BSF Seizes 62,200 Phensedyl Bottles, Uncovers 3 Underground Tanks Near Bangladesh

Update: 2025-01-25 12:19 GMT

Kolkata (The Uttam Hindu): The Border Security Force (BSF) has seized ₹1.4 crore worth of Phensedyl cough syrup after discovering three underground storage tanks located just under 2 km from the Indo-Bangladesh border in Nadia district, West Bengal. The raid, carried out on Friday, resulted in the recovery of at least 62,200 bottles of Phensedyl. This haul represents nearly half of what the BSF typically seizes annually from bordering districts in South Bengal. In 2024, the BSF's South Bengal Frontier seized 1,73,628 bottles of Phensedyl worth approximately ₹3.6 crore. It is believed that the seized bottles were intended for smuggling into Bangladesh.

The Narcotics Control Bureau is expected to investigate the case, according to a BSF officer. The hidden underground chambers were discovered during a raid by the BSF's 32nd battalion and local police near the Tungi border outpost, based on intelligence inputs. Two of the underground tanks were concealed beneath dense vegetation, while the third was constructed under a makeshift hut. Several boxes containing Phensedyl bottles were found stacked inside these tanks which were constructed by digging large pits and placing huge iron tanks in them. The underground chambers measured at least 7 feet in height and 10 feet in length.

Phensedyl, which contains codeine is frequently smuggled into Bangladesh, where it is used as an alcohol substitute. One bottle, which costs around ₹160 in India, can sell for ₹300 to ₹500 once it crosses the border. In Dhaka, the price may surge to ₹1,800 to ₹2,000, making the smuggling operation highly profitable. A senior officer from North 24 Parganas, a bordering district revealed that the syrup is legally produced in Himachal Pradesh. From there, agents along the Indo-Bangla border in West Bengal source it through dealers in Varanasi and Lucknow. Once the syrup reaches villages near the border, it is stored in local houses before being picked up by smugglers who quickly transport the entire consignment out of the country. The operation is carried out swiftly and the goods are often disposed of within a few hours. These smugglers, referred to as the "labour party" are paid ₹300 to ₹500 for crossing the international border with the hidden consignments.

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