The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) recovered 62,000 bottles of Phensidyl from three underground storage tanks at Naghata village, located in Majhdia town under Kishanganj police station of India’s West Bengal's Nadia district.
The spot is half a kilometre off the Darshana border point of Bangladesh’s Chuadanga district.
In a statement, BSF informed the recovery on Saturday night.
The recovered Phensidyl is a codeine-based cough syrup, often used as a mild intoxicant.
BSF’s South Bengal 32nd Battalion carried out the operation as part of "Operation Alert," which is ongoing along the India-Bangladesh border.
The approximate market value of the seized Phensidyl is Tk.1, 40, 58,444, as stated in the press release.
The substances are reportedly sourced from India’s Uttar Pradesh.
BSF disclosed that the bunker was originally designed as a septic tank of a house but was later repurposed as storage for the contraband item.
However, no arrest was made so far, as both the landowner and several locals suspected remain at large. Villagers in the area are being interrogated as part of the investigation.
The BSF stated that the Phensidyl was being stockpiled for smuggling into Bangladesh.
BSF seems that this recovery has shed light on the extensive smuggling network operating in the area and the methods of bootlegging. The recovery of such a large quantity is seen as a significant blow to smuggling activities in the region.
The BSF further stated that ongoing investigations into this sophisticated smuggling network are expected to uncover further details and possibly lead to more seizures.
This seizure comes at a time when tensions along the India-Bangladesh border are heightened, particularly in light of political instability in Bangladesh. At the same time, reports of disagreements between the BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) over border fencing have added to the strain.
Earlier this week, BSF launched “Operation Alert” along the 4,096-km-long border, aligning with the nation’s 76th Republic Day celebrations. The operation, being conducted from January 22 to January 31, involves various security drills in both deep and forward areas along the border.
Reports reveal that in the entire year of 2024, the BSF's South Bengal Frontier seized 1, 73,628 bottles of Phensidyl worth approximately 3.6 crore.