Naxalbari, 08th November: A police raid thwarted an attempt to smuggle betel nut concealed in a pickup van covered with tarpaulin in Naxalbari. The driver, identified as Mohammad Shafiul Alam, was arrested with 275 kg of betel nut.
According to police sources, the Naxalbari police station seized five sacks of betel nut wrapped in tarpaulin after intercepting the pickup van on the Satbhaiya Asian Highway. The driver was detained for failing to present valid documentation for both the vehicle and the betel nut. The arrested individual is a resident of Jalpaiguri.
The market value of the 275 kg of betel nut is estimated to be in the lakhs of rupees. The accused was presented before the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Court on Friday, and the Naxalbari police have confiscated the pickup van involved in the incident.