Silchar: In a major blow to interstate contraband networks, security forces have intercepted a massive shipment of smuggled foreign cigarettes valued at approximately ₹2.8 crore in Assam’s Cachar district.
The successful operation was executed jointly by the Assam Rifles and the Silchar Customs Department. Using precise intelligence on illicit goods moving across state borders, the joint task force set up checkpoints and conducted targeted searches at several locations. The operation culminated in the interception of several commercial trucks transporting the hidden contraband.
According to official sources, the vehicles were moving through the Kalain area, utilising the route to funnel the illegal tobacco products into Meghalaya and neighbouring northeastern states for widespread black-market distribution.
The entire confiscated consignment has been transferred to the relevant authorities to facilitate deeper legal proceedings. Representatives from both the Assam Rifles and the Customs Department noted that this crackdown is part of an intensified, ongoing campaign to disrupt organised smuggling rings and curb the flow of counterfeit merchandise threatening the region's economy and security.