Over 3,000 bottles of Phensedyl seized by BSF near Indo-Bangladesh border

KOLKATA, 2017:

The Border Security Force (BSF) seized 3,045 bottles of banned Phensedyl cough syrup close to the Indo-Bangladesh border in Murshidabad on Wednesday. The cough syrup was meant for smuggling across the international border to Bangladesh where it is used as a narcotic substance. The seized bottles have been handed over to the Jalangi police station.

"On August 30, 2017, information was received by troops of the 83Bn BSF posted at Border Outpost Kakmarichar in the Jalangi police station area of Murshidabad. A special ambush was laid and around 4am suspicious movement near the border was spottted. There were some people approaching the border from the Indian side with head loads. On being challenged, the suspects fled the spot after dropping the cartons from their heads," a senior BSF official said.

A search of the area resulted in the recovery of 3,045 bottles of Phensedyl that was banned by the Centre in 2016. However, the Delhi high court revoked the ban on Phensedyl and other such fixed dose combination medicines in December, 2016. Wednesday's haul has been valued at Rs 2,88,238. Since then Phensedyl and similar medicines have continued to reach the Indo-Bangladesh border. Smugglers have used unique methods to send the cough syrup to West Bengal from other parts of the country. They have also booked cartons on premier trains like Rajdhanis and Durontos.

"In 2017, the BSF's South Bengal Frontier 98,054 bottles of Phensedyl valued at Rs 1,17,14,769 in different operations and apprehended 20 smugglers.