DRI seizes ₹6.54 crore banned cough syrup from Bihar goods train in Agartala; one arrested
Synopsis
In what officials call Tripura's second-largest such haul from a goods train, the DRI recovered over 55,000 bottles of banned codeine-laced cough syrup worth ₹6.54 crore shipped from Bihar — exposing a persistent rail-based smuggling corridor feeding drug demand across the northeast and into Bangladesh.
Key Takeaways
The DRI seized 55,626 bottles of banned Eskuf and Fairdyl Cough Syrup worth over ₹6.54 crore at Agartala Railway Station on 2 July .
The consignment was booked from Katihar, Bihar and transported in a High Capacity Parcel Van on a goods train.
Subrata Deb (34) , reportedly a manager of a private firm in Khowai district , was arrested while allegedly attempting to collect the consignment.
Both syrups contain Codeine Phosphate and Triprolidine Hydrochloride , substances widely misused as narcotics in India and neighbouring countries.
This is Tripura's second-largest such goods-train seizure; the previous record haul of ₹5.4 crore was made on 17 October last year at Jirania Railway Station .
A case has been registered under the NDPS Act, 1985 ; investigation to trace the source and wider network is ongoing.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday, 2 July seized 55,626 bottles of banned cough syrup worth over ₹6.54 crore from a goods train at Agartala Railway Station, after the consignment arrived from Bihar. One person has been arrested in connection with the haul, officials confirmed.
What Was Seized
The recovered consignment comprised bottles of Eskuf Cough Syrup and Fairdyl Cough Syrup — 100 ml each — both of which are reportedly abused as narcotic substances. The two syrups contain Codeine Phosphate and Triprolidine Hydrochloride, substances frequently misused as narcotic drugs in India and in neighbouring Bangladesh and other countries.
According to officials, the consignment had been booked from Katihar in Bihar and transported in a High Capacity Parcel Van attached to the goods train.
The Arrest
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, DRI officials — assisted by personnel of the Assam Rifles, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and other security agencies — intercepted the consignment and arrested Subrata Deb (34). Deb is reportedly the manager of a private business firm in Tripura's Khowai district and had allegedly come to the Agartala Railway Station, located on the outskirts of the capital city, to take delivery of the illegal consignment.
Second-Largest Haul of Its Kind in Tripura
This seizure is described as the second-largest recovery of such an illegal consignment from a goods train in Tripura. The largest came on 17 October last year, when the Tripura Police Crime Branch (TPCB), with assistance from other security forces, seized banned Eskuf cough syrup valued at around ₹5.4 crore from a goods train that had arrived at Jirania Railway Station in West Tripura from Delhi on 16 October. Several persons were arrested in that case, including Rajib Dasgupta (42), identified as one of the principal kingpins of a drug trafficking network operating across several northeastern states.
Wider Pattern and Investigation
The DRI has registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Further investigation is underway to trace the source, intended recipients, and the wider network involved in the smuggling racket.
Notably, the RPF and other security agencies have on several occasions seized narcotics and contraband — including ganja (marijuana) — from trains operating between Tripura and other parts of the country. The repeated interceptions underscore the growing misuse of the railway network by smugglers to move illegal substances into the northeast.
Point of View
Not isolated incidents. The railway network's parcel-van system appears to be a preferred vector precisely because bulk freight attracts less scrutiny than passenger baggage. The DRI and RPF have intercepted the consignments, but the arrests so far are of delivery agents, not the supply-chain architects. Until investigations reach the manufacturers or wholesale distributors of Eskuf and Fairdyl, seizures will remain a game of whack-a-mole on a route that clearly has demand on both sides of the Bangladesh border.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized by the DRI at Agartala Railway Station?
The DRI seized 55,626 bottles (100 ml each) of banned Eskuf Cough Syrup and Fairdyl Cough Syrup worth over ₹6.54 crore on 2 July. Both syrups contain Codeine Phosphate and Triprolidine Hydrochloride, which are frequently misused as narcotic substances.
Where did the banned cough syrup consignment come from?
The consignment was booked from Katihar in Bihar and transported to Agartala in a High Capacity Parcel Van attached to a goods train.
Who was arrested in connection with the Agartala drug seizure?
Subrata Deb (34), reportedly a manager of a private business firm in Tripura's Khowai district, was arrested. He had allegedly arrived at Agartala Railway Station to collect the illegal consignment.
Is this the biggest such seizure in Tripura?
No. This is described as the second-largest recovery of banned cough syrup from a goods train in Tripura. The largest was made on 17 October last year, when the Tripura Police Crime Branch seized Eskuf cough syrup worth around ₹5.4 crore at Jirania Railway Station.
What legal action has been taken?
The DRI has registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Investigation is ongoing to identify the source, intended recipients, and the wider smuggling network.
