Nagaon: Police seized a large consignment of Burmese cigarettes valued at around Rs 40 lakh and arrested a suspected smuggler in Assam’s Nagaon district, officials said on Thursday. Acting on a tip-off, police launched an operation against the alleged cigarette smuggling network on Wednesday night. During the operation, a truck travelling from Upper Assam was intercepted at the Barghat bypass near Nonoi. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of approximately 5.82 lakh cigarette sticks, with the market value of the seized consignment estimated at nearly Rs 40 lakh.
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Police arrested one suspected smuggler in connection with the seizure, while the truck driver managed to flee from the spot. A search operation has since been launched to trace and apprehend the absconding driver. According to a police official, Burmese cigarettes are allegedly being smuggled through Nagaon to different parts of Assam and neighbouring states. The arrested suspect is being interrogated to determine the source of the consignment and its intended destination.
The seizure comes amid continued efforts by law enforcement agencies to curb the movement of illegally transported goods through Assam. Police are also investigating whether the consignment is linked to a wider smuggling network operating across the region. Further details regarding the identity of the arrested suspect and the source of the cigarettes are awaited.
