The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) seized 20.175 kg of ganja (marijuana) near the India-Nepal border in West Bengal late on Tuesday night and arrested four individuals, including one woman, in an intelligence-led operation. The seizure underscores the persistent narcotics trafficking challenge along one of India's most porous international frontiers.

How the Seizure Unfolded

Acting on specific intelligence, a special Naka team from 'E' Company, Kadomanijote, 41 Battalion SSB intercepted the group at approximately 11:45 pm IST at PWD More on NH-327, roughly four kilometres from the international border. A search of the suspects' luggage yielded 20.175 kg of ganja, and all four were immediately taken into custody.

'Acting on specific intelligence, a special Naka team of 'E' Company, Kadomanijote, 41 Bn SSB, intercepted three males and one female. A search of their luggage led to the recovery of 20.175 kg Ganja. They were immediately taken into custody,' a senior SSB official said.

Who Was Arrested

All four accused are residents of West Bengal. They have been identified as Saberul (62) and Basir Sk (47), both from Islampur in Uttar Dinajpur district; Prasanta Biswas (30) from Cooch Behar; and Manju Mahanta (44) from Kharibari in Darjeeling. According to officials, the four are members of a gang involved in narcotics trafficking.

During preliminary interrogation, the accused reportedly stated they were travelling from Cooch Behar to Bhalugara in Islampur and claimed to have procured the ganja from one Shiv Charan Biswas of Cooch Behar, with plans to sell it at the destination.

Investigation and Legal Action

'Their phones have been seized, and call records and messages will be checked to track down other members of the gang. All four, along with the ganja and the phones, have been handed over to the Kharibari Police Station for further legal action under the NDPS Act,' the senior official said. Investigators are now working to identify and apprehend other alleged members of the trafficking network.

The Broader Border Security Challenge

Narcotics trafficking is a persistent concern along the India-Nepal border, which remains open — citizens of both nations may cross without passports or visas. This open-border arrangement, while facilitating people-to-people ties, also creates significant enforcement challenges. The SSB relies heavily on intelligence-based operations to intercept contraband moving between states and across the international frontier.

A senior official noted that criminals from both West Bengal and Bihar use the corridor to move contraband between the two states, placing an additional patrolling burden on the SSB along NH-327. Separately, officials flagged ongoing attempts to illegally transport cattle from Bihar to Assam through West Bengal, with onward movement to Meghalaya or across the border into Bangladesh — a further layer of cross-border crime the force is tasked with countering.