In a major crackdown on cigarette smuggling, the Tripura Police in Dharmanagar sub-divison recovered Burmese cigarettes valued at approximately Rs 70 lakh from Anandabazar Naka Point today.

According to police sources, acting on a tip-off, Dharmanagar Subdivision Police Officer B. Jurimpuya, along with the police team of Dharmanagar Police Station, conducted a raid at the naka point. During the operation, a Bolero pickup van carrying a large quantity of illegal Burmese cigarettes was seized. However, the driver fled the scene before being apprehended.

The recovered contraband is expected to be sent to the court by the Dharmanagar Security Department before being handed over to the Customs Department for further action.

Officials noted that smuggling of Burmese cigarettes through the border areas of Dharmanagar and Panisagar police stations has been on the rise in recent years. These cigarettes are circulated within Tripura before being smuggled into Bangladesh through various routes.

Sources have indicated that some businessmen and political figures from the Damchhara area are allegedly involved in this illegal trade, making it challenging for police to take action despite having prior intelligence.

Additional Superintendent of Police Kamal Debbarma visited the Dharmanagar Security Office following the operation. He confirmed that police had received information from secret sources about the movement of a large quantity of Burmese cigarettes from Dharmanagar to Kailashahar that morning. Acting on this intelligence, the team positioned themselves at the naka point and successfully intercepted the vehicle carrying the contraband.

The Dharmanagar Police hailed the operation as a significant success in their ongoing efforts to curb smuggling activities in the region.