Five persons were arrested in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district for allegedly trying to smuggle banned Phensedyl cough syrup worth over Rs two lakh to Bangladesh, BSF officials said today.
Acting on a tip-off, the BSF personnel apprehended three alleged smugglers last evening near the Kachuadogri area while they were travelling from Assam's Mankachar district, they said, adding that acting on the lead given by the trio, two others were held in the southwest Garo Hills district today.
On searching the vehicle, in which the three were travelling, 563 bottles of banned Phensydyl cough syrup worth approximately Rs 2,25,200, three mobile phones and Rs 17,500 cash were seized, the officials said.
Two of the arrested persons were from Mankachar while the rest were tribal residents of the Garo Hills region, they said.
During interrogation, it was learnt that the banned drugs were brought from Assam's Mankachar to the border of Meghalaya where from the five would have smuggled them to Bangladesh where these substances fetch higher value.
