Siliguri, 05th November: The Special Task Force (STF), in a joint operation with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), foiled an attempt to smuggle narcotics through the Vande Bharat Express and arrested one person. A total of 1 kg and 31 grams of brown sugar was seized from a sleeper coach of the train at New Jalpaiguri (NJP) Railway Station late Wednesday night.
The arrested accused has been identified as MD Rahmatullah Sheikh (35), a resident of Malda. According to STF sources, he was travelling from Malda to Cooch Behar aboard the Guwahati-Kamakhya-bound Vande Bharat Express, posing as a passenger. He allegedly intended to deliver the consignment of brown sugar in Cooch Behar.
Acting on a tip-off, the STF launched a joint operation with the NJP Government Railway Police (GRP) and RPF. As soon as the train arrived at NJP Railway Station, a search operation was initiated. During the search, Rahmatullah Sheikh was stopped on suspicion and his bag was checked.
Ten soap cases were recovered from the bag, with 1 kg and 31 grams of brown sugar concealed inside them. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth around ₹1 crore in the international market.
The STF subsequently handed over the accused to the NJP GRP. The GRP registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and produced the accused before the Jalpaiguri court on Thursday.
