AGARTALA, November 27 (TIWN): Ajoy Roy, son of a heavyweight CPI (M) leader namely Bibhu Ray of Kashipur area engaged in smuggling of Phensedyl a cough syrup, with an exceedingly high dose of codeine and other contraband items, said sources.

The source further said that, Ajoy is doing the smuggling of Phensedyl in the broad day light at Kashipur and he also deliver huge consignments of Phensedyl in other parts of the state but the police is acting like mute spectators due to high level political influence regarding the matter, source added.

Ajoy Ray  is having a canteen in Chandrapur and he is using the canteen for storing the Phensedyl and other contraband items. Local alleged that why the police are not doing to arrest the culprit, the source added. Bibhu Ray’s son’s network is very deep-rooted and widespread.

According to the source, Ajoy Ray  along with smugglers based in Agartala are sending spurious Phensedyl, a cough syrup, with an exceedingly high dose of codeine and other drugs to Bangladesh virtually by the truckload, hundreds of acres of remote land in West Tripura have become sprawling ganja plantations.

Consumption of alcohol is banned in Muslim majority Bangladesh and thus the demand of alternative means like cough syrup is on the rise in the neighbouring country. Numerous smugglers of both sides of border are engaged in illegal trade of Phensedyl as it gives them huge income, the source added.

Large parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar are emerging as drug consuming zones, and bordering areas of Tripura are contributing to the fast-emerging drugs market, the source mentioned.  The Phensedyl smuggling would, in future, become a major deterrent to better Indo-Bangla relations, the source further said.

One bottle of Phensedyl costs about Rs 90, but it is sold at Taka 600 or more in Bangladesh. The source added that complete fencing of Tripura’s 856km boundary with Bangladesh would prevent smuggling menace.