Title - Heroin worth over Rs 18 crore seized from train

FORBESGANJ: In one of the biggest ever haul of narcotics, customs sleuths and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) seized three kilograms of heroin worth over Rs 18 crore from the toilet of a train compartment of Delhi-bound 12487 Jogbani-Seemanchal Express at Forbesgaj under Katihar division of North-East Frontier Railway (NEFR) on Thursday.

Forbesganj, which is barely 20 km away from Bihar-Nepal border, lies in Araria district. Customs assistant commissioner (AC) Jyotiraditya, talking to TOI, disclosed that the customs sleuths with the 12th battalion SSB officials made a frantic search and seized the consignment of the packets of narcotic concealed in the ceiling of a toilet in a sleeper coach of 12487 Seemanchal Express. The customs and SSB officials struggled very hard in removing the nuts and bolts of the ceiling before they could lay their hands on the contraband heroin, the AC said.

The raiding party was headed by AC Jyortiraditya, superintendents Rakesh Ranjan and Kishanganj-based 12th battalion SSB deputy commandant Rajesh Singh and assistant commandant Neeraj Chowdhury.

The customs sleuths as well as SSB officials were tipped-off about the consignment of narcotics which were sneaked into Bihar from Nepal. Though they were told that some couriers were carrying the consignment, the traffickers changed their modus operandi, and decided to take them by rail route, the SSB commandant said. The heroin packets bore Double Tiger Brand tag and were manufactured in February this year, the officials said.

This was the fourth such seizure of heroin from the same Seemanchal Express commuting between Jogbani (on Bihar-Nepal border) and New Delhi in the last four-and-a half-months. Heroin worth over Rs 78 crore were seized during the operations, said AC Jyotiraditya.

The modus operandi too has more or less been the same. On two occasions, the consignment was tucked in the ceiling of the toilets of sleeper coaches, which puts a question mark on the functioning of railway officials as well as the police, sources said.