Marijuana & Burmese teak seized in Alipurduar

ALIPURDUAR: In two major operations, authorities in Alipurduar intercepted illegal marijuana and smuggled Burmese teak wood in two separate incidents.

In Falakata, police recovered 43 kg of marijuana, valued at Rs 6 lakh, from a luxury hotel on Madari Road. A couple, Swapan Sarkar and Pinky Halder from Nadia, were arrested for smuggling.

Acting on a tip-off, Falakata police raided the hotel on Monday night and found the drugs hidden in a secret compartment of the couple’s vehicle. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act.

In a separate operation near the Assam-Bengal border, forest officials intercepted a 22-wheeler cargo truck smuggling Burmese teak to Haryana.

The vehicle, carrying teak worth Rs 40 lakh, was stopped on the national highway by Volka Range officers from Buxa Tiger Reserve.

The driver fled under cover of the darkness, but the truck was seized for investigation.