NCB nabs 2 for attempting to smuggle charas to Hong Kong

Kolkata: Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Eastern Zone has arrested two persons who were trying to smuggle a huge quantity of charas to Hong Kong through postal courier service on Wednesday night.

According to NCB officials, they were tipped off a few days ago about the consignment of charas. Acting on the information, NCB officials intercepted the consignment which was being sent through the post office inside Kolkata Airport.

During a subsequent search, NCB officials found charas weighing about 5.8 kg, concealed in a specially-made cavity inside a consignment of women's shoes.

From the post office NCB officials got details of the sender of the consignment and subsequently conducted a raid at the premises of the accused person identified as Rizwan in Kidderpore area.

During interrogation, the accused stated that he used to get the charas concealed inside the shoes from a person identified as Murtaja Alam. NCB officials later arrested Alam from Kidderpore and found charas weighing about two kg from him.

In a separate case, NCB officials conducted a joint operation with Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and state Excise department along with state police and destroyed opium poppy and cannabis cultivation on 125 acres of land at Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar.

Sources informed that a few months ago, NCB officials came to know that a few persons were found engaged in opium poppy and cannabis cultivation in Mathabhanga.

Based on the information, a team from NCB inquired about the same by visiting some villages covertly. Later on Wednesday, the operation was conducted at four villages identified as Doibhangi, Uttar Doibhangi, Balashi and Kurapata.

NCB officials have also apprehended two persons identified as Sanatan Sarkar and Gopal Rangdar for their involvement in the cultivation.