AGARTALA, February 5 (TIWN): With the raising demands of narcotic items including phensedyl among a major portion of the people in neighbouring country Bangladesh, reportedly Churaibari check-post in North Tripura district turned as corridor for the phensedyl smugglers due to the negligence of concerned on-duty officers for a prolonged period.According to the local sources, a few of the sales tax officers at Churaibari gate are playing negative role over the issue. As an instance, altogether 5100 bottles of phensedyl were detained from a 12-wheel lorry bearing number AS-DD-9763 by the cops of BSF recently. But, the on-duty sales tax officer allowed the lorry to go without placing the vehicle on Weight Bridge, said the locals.On the other hand, among the four weight bridges at Churaibari check-post, reportedly two are lying in paralyzed condition for over past few months but the concerned authority is not taking any steps to revamp the weight bridges. A section of heavy vehicles' drivers alleged that a few of the sales tax officials are allegedly picking the pockets of drivers in the two weight bridges at Churaibari check-post.

They further alleged that a section of officials reportedly maintains to calculate the weight of vehicles in their absence. As a result, often the officials make the load of vehicles more than actual. 

Due to the tricky abominable habits of a section of sales tax officers, the drivers has to pay a fine for overloading, said a heavy vehicle’s driver. Even with the massive malpractices at Churaibari check-post, the concerned authority turned silent from the beginning, said the driver. 

Phensedyl is extremely popular in Bangladesh where liquor consumption is banned. Taking advantage of the situation, some unscrupulous traders of Tripura are reportedly smuggling the cough syrup across the border and it earns huge money.

"We are well aware of the situation and the police often detain vehicles and seize thousands of bottles of Phensedyl consignments coming from other north-eastern states especially from Assam that are not used in Tripura but this is not sufficient to combat the issue. The network is very deep-rooted and widespread. The Phensedyl smuggling would, in future, become a major deterrent to better Indo-Bangla relations," said a senior police officer.