Bengal police bust Odisha-based drug racket, 200 packets of marijuana recovered from rotten fish crates

Bengali Police have nabbed a pickup van smuggling marijuana in a filmy style. Under the unbearable stench from crates of rotten fish, 200 packets of marijuana were recovered, as per a report of ABP live.

Marijuana smuggling in fish van

Reportedly, the Diamond Harbour Police conducted a raid in the Magurpukur area of Magrahat, South 24 Parganas on Tuesday afternoon. During the raid, the police recovered marijuana worth crores. As suspected by the officials, the drugs were being transported from Odisha.

Upon breaking the locks of the fish containers, police reportedly found neatly stacked narcotics hidden inside the crates. Reportedly, the presence of rotten fish almost misled the police. However, upon further inspection, the officers seized 200 packets of illegal drugs. It is believed that each packet was estimated to weigh between one to one-and-a-half kilograms. Police suspect that the packets contained marijuana, and has a total market value of several crores.

The seized substances will be sent to a forensic lab for examination.

As per the report, the police have arrested the van driver. The driver of the pickup van has been taken into custody.

The accused will appear before the Diamond Harbour Sub-Divisional Court on Wednesday. Reportedly, police will request the accused custody.

The secret operation was led by the Additional Superintendent of Police (Zonal) of the Diamond Harbour Police District, Mithun De. Along with him was Magrahat OC Piyush Mandal, as per the portal.

The drugs were being smuggled by an inter-state narcotics ring operating from Odisha.

Authorities are actively working to identify and apprehend other members who are involved or related to the smuggling network, directly and indirectly.

Liquor bottles hidden in cabbage van

Previously, a similar smuggling attempt was made in West Bengal, which involved a pickup van. Liquor bottles were hidden under cabbages while being transported, which caused a stir.

Police intercepted a car and a pickup van in Siliguri during the incident. Reportedly, cops seized 72 cases of foreign liquor from the vehicles.

The state Excise Department arrested four smugglers, all residents of Bihar.

Acting on a tip-off, police from the Jalpaiguri Division of the Excise Department launched an operation in the early hours of Tuesday.

Around 5:30 AM, they traced a vehicle on the Mahananda Bridge in Champasari, Siliguri, followed by the pickup van trailing behind it. Reportedly, a total of 72 cartons of foreign liquor were detained from both vehicles. It is said to be valued around ₹16.2 lakh.

However, in this case, authorities believe the liquor was being smuggled from Sikkim to Bihar.