Sonamura, Nov 14 (TIWN): In another successful raid led by the SDM Sonamura, Subhasis Das, Bangladeshi Currency amounting Rs.1.00 lakh and 500 bottles of Phensedyl and brand Codeine Phosphate intoxicant syrups were recovered today from Boxanagar market.

Besides, in another large-scale operation, 40,000 ganja plants spread over 30 acre of plantation area in Nutan Colony and Bhati Kalamchoura area of Boxanagar R D block were cut down close on the heels of the first raid. Both the raids were an outcome of the coordinated and consistent effort of the Sonamura Sub-Divisional Administration, BSF and Police Authorities to enforce a deterrent curb on the rampant ganja cultivations in Sonamura Sub-Division that has often been linked to the anti-social elements and smugglers involved in border crimes. The first operation commenced at 10 am and continued up to 12.30 pm, while the second raid spanned about 3 hours, from 1.00 pm till 4 pm. The monetary value of the Codeine Phosphate intoxicant syrups would be Rs.1.50 lakh, while the destroyed ganja plants are valued not less than Rs.4.00 crore, even going by a conservative estimation.

SDM Sonamura Subhashis Das, Police and BSF officials destroyed Ganja fields worth Rs. 4 crores. TIWN Pic Nov 14

Taken together, the seized and destroyed articles have a collective monetary worth of 4 crore 2 lakh and 50 thousand rupees. In course of the operations, attempts were made to put up certain amount of resistance, which however fizzled out soon in the face of the determined attitude of the administration. It may be mentioned that the SDM Sonamura has already been designated as the Chairman of the Sub-Divisional Coordination Committee formed by the SP (Enforcement Branch) to oversee and coordinate the efforts of the security agencies in the ongoing anti-ganja drive in Sonamura. The scale and tenacity of the destruction operations now being undertaken to restrain and eventually to eliminate the illegal ganja plantations in the Sub-Division is unprecedented. It may be mentioned that vast swathes of agricultural land and tilla land where crops, vegetables or horticultural plantations could have profitably been grown are being diverted for raising ganja plantations, alarmingly bringing down the agricultural productivity in the Sub-Division. Today’s raids were led jointly led by the SDM Sonamura, Subhasis Das, the DC(G) of BSF Anil Kumar, the Coy Commanders of Kalamchoura and Ashabari BOPs of 158 Battalion BSF, Inspector Arun Yadav of BSF G Branch, and the S.I. of Kalamchoura P.S., S.B. Sarkar.