Naxalbari, 07th October: In a significant operation, two individuals were arrested for transporting a truckload of illegal betel nuts (supari). The arrested are identified as Hari Om and Shamsher Shah, both residents of Lakhimpur, Uttar Pradesh.
According to police sources, the truck was intercepted on the Asian Highway 2 near Schooldangi in Naxalbari early Monday morning based on a tip-off. Upon searching the vehicle, a substantial quantity of betel nuts was discovered. However, the driver and his companion were unable to show any valid documentation pertaining to the betel nuts.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the betel nuts were being transported from Myanmar to Delhi. The market value of the recovered betel nuts is estimated to be worth lakhs of rupees. The arrested individuals have been presented in the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Court while an investigation into the entire incident is currently underway.