AT Photo
Agartala, Dec 18: As many as six women hailing from Bihar were arrested at Churaibari outpost of Assam and a total of 23 kgs of cannabis was seized from their possession.
"There were 35 small packets stuffed with dry marijuana weighing around 23 kg. Prima facie evidence suggests that all the women arrested were trapped into the trafficking in lieu of paltry pay", said officer in charge of Churaibari outpost Niranjan Das.
According to available information, a team of police from Churaibari police outpost intercepted a night bus ferrying passengers from Agartala to Guwahati on Friday midnight. Accordingly, a search operation was launched that led to the seizure of the dry cannabis.
Police said, "The accused women were hiding the contraband items in their luggage and the clothes they were wearing. During police interrogation, they had denied any association with the smugglers. However, we are investigating the matter". The arrested persons had been identified as Guriya Devi (40), Soni Devi (35), Sita Devi (42), Sunita Devi (48), Ravita Devi (35), and Pinku Devi (30).
A case was lodged against the arrested persons under the NDPS case. It is worthy to be mentioned here that people from Bihar are being increasingly used for the illicit trade in recent times. Police from Tripura and Assam have arrested a number of people who originally hail from Bihar. Cases had been registered against them under pertinent sections of the NDPS act.