Kokrajhar Police seized 30,000 bottles of illicit codeine syrup from a truck that was stopped at a naka checkpoint in Gossaigaon, Kokrajhar district, on Saturday, 24 May 2026, the Chief Minister's Office of Assam announced. The truck was ostensibly carrying cattle feed when it was intercepted; the driver was apprehended on the spot.

Context

The seizure was made after officers at the naka checkpoint grew suspicious of a truck declared to be transporting cattle feed. Upon inspection, authorities uncovered 30,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup concealed within the consignment — a method commonly used to move pharmaceutical contraband across inter-state routes. The driver was taken into custody immediately following the discovery.

Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly commended the operational team, praising their 'sharp vigilance' in detecting the concealed consignment. The Chief Minister's Office shared the development under the hashtag #AssamAgainstDrugs, underscoring the administration's intent to keep anti-narcotics enforcement in public view.

Policy Backdrop

Since May 2021, when Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma assumed office as Chief Minister, the Assam government has directed district police units to intensify naka checks and crack down on the diversion of pharmaceutical preparations, particularly codeine-based cough syrups. Codeine syrup is a prescription medicine that, when diverted and consumed in excess, is widely abused as an intoxicant, especially among young people.

Gossaigaon, situated in Kokrajhar district within the Bodoland Territorial Region, lies on a major transit corridor used for inter-state movement of goods — making it a strategic point for highway enforcement. Kokrajhar Police operates under the broader mandate of the Bodoland Territorial Region's security framework and has been active in highway interdiction operations.

Stakeholders and Impact

The seizure directly targets the supply chain of illicit pharmaceutical drugs that has been a persistent concern for law enforcement across Assam and neighbouring states. Repeated large-scale seizures along highways connecting to the Brahmaputra valley, the Bodoland Territorial Region, and international borders indicate that codeine syrup diversion remains a significant enforcement challenge in the region.

For Assam's youth — identified by the state administration as the primary demographic at risk — sustained naka operations represent a direct intervention in the supply of easily accessible intoxicants. Police personnel involved in such operations have been repeatedly highlighted by the Chief Minister's Office as a motivational signal to field units across the state.

What's Next

Authorities are expected to pursue an investigation into the origin and intended destination of the seized consignment, which could reveal broader supply networks operating through Gossaigaon and similar transit points. The Assam Police headquarters may issue follow-up statements on pharmaceutical diversion cases as part of the state's ongoing enforcement calendar.

With the administration continuing to publicly amplify each major seizure, pressure on district-level units to maintain vigilance at naka checkpoints is likely to remain high. Further interceptions along similar highway corridors in the Bodoland Territorial Region and the wider Brahmaputra valley would reinforce the pattern of sustained anti-narcotics enforcement that has defined the Sarma government's policing posture since 2021.