Agartala, July 5: Tripura Police seized a large consignment of illegal foreign cigarettes worth an estimated Rs 6 lakh during a special vehicle checking operation at the Laljuri Check Post in North Tripura on July 5, officials said.
The operation was launched after police received specific intelligence inputs regarding the movement of contraband through the area. Acting on the information, personnel from the Laljuri Out Post, led by the Officer-in-Charge, intensified vehicle inspections at the check post.
During the drive, officials intercepted a vehicle bearing registration number TR-02N-0726 and carried out a detailed search. The inspection led to the recovery of approximately 196 bundles, containing around 39,200 sticks of illegal foreign cigarettes, which had been concealed inside the vehicle.
Police estimated the black-market value of the seized cigarettes at nearly Rs 6 lakh. The vehicle along with the contraband was taken into custody under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to facilitate further legal action.
Officials stated that the seizure was the result of credible intelligence and forms part of the state’s continued efforts to curb the smuggling and illegal trade of prohibited goods. An investigation is currently underway to identify the source of the consignment, trace the individuals involved in the smuggling network and determine the intended destination of the illegal cigarettes.
