Agartala, September 16: An inter-state drug trafficking probe has been launched in Tripura following the seizure of nearly five lakh Yaba tablets from a 12-wheel truck at Panisagar, officials said on Wednesday.
The operation led to the arrest of the truck driver, 18-year-old Rupam Deka, a resident of Noagaon in Guwahati, Assam.
Acting on intelligence about the movement of a suspected narcotics consignment, Panisagar Police, Assam Rifles and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Agartala, jointly intercepted the vehicle at the Agnipasha naka point on the National Highway.
The truck was travelling from Assam towards Agartala and had entered Tripura through Churaibari, officials said.
During the subsequent search, the joint team recovered around 250 packets containing Yaba tablets from inside the vehicle. The seized narcotics weighed approximately 50 kg and were estimated to have an illegal market value of nearly Rs 40 crore.
The recovery has prompted investigators to focus on the network behind the consignment. Officials are seeking to determine where the drugs originated, who arranged their transportation and where the tablets were intended to be delivered.
The role of other persons involved in the movement of the consignment is also being examined. Investigators are questioning Deka to obtain information about the alleged suppliers, transporters and intended recipients.
Authorities are also reconstructing the truck’s journey after it entered Tripura through Churaibari, including its movement towards Agnipasha. Investigators are checking whether any other vehicles or individuals were involved along the route.
Officials said the seizure could be connected to a broader inter-state narcotics network, though the investigation is still underway.
The recovery has also drawn attention to the movement of illegal drugs along interstate highways and through major entry points into Tripura. Security agencies are reviewing surveillance and checking arrangements along vulnerable routes.
Further investigation is expected to determine the wider network behind the consignment and establish whether additional arrests will follow, officials said.
