Brown Sugar Worth ₹40 Crore Seized in Maldah: Major Blow to Drug Cartels

Hindu Voice Team: In a massive anti-narcotics operation, police in Maldah have seized brown sugar worth nearly ₹40 crore from a mango orchard in Kaliachak’s Mojampur area. Three accused — Barkat Sheikh, Rof Sheikh, and Hasibur Sheikh — have been arrested in connection with the haul.

According to investigators, the traffickers adopted a highly deceptive method: the drugs were hung from mango tree branches, disguised to look like mangoes left out for drying. Locals were unaware that the orchard was being used to mask a multi-crore narcotics racket.

This is not an isolated incident. Maldah has increasingly become notorious as a hub for narcotics smuggling in eastern India. Police sources revealed that since the beginning of this year alone, nearly 97 kilograms of brown sugar have been seized in the district, and 241 individuals have been arrested. Despite continuous operations, the cartels appear to be thriving, taking advantage of Maldah’s geographical position along the international border.

Residents have expressed deep concern, warning that drug trafficking is tearing apart the youth of the region. “The future of our children is at stake. Unless authorities act decisively, Maldah will turn into the drug capital of India,” one local said.

Investigators believe the seized narcotics were part of a wider cross-border smuggling network, with consignments entering through Bangladesh before being transported to states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra.

Police officials have pledged to intensify their crackdown. “No trafficker will be spared. Our operations will continue until the roots of this trade are destroyed,” said a senior officer.

The seizure underscores not just a law-and-order challenge but also a grave social crisis. With youth increasingly falling prey to narcotics, experts warn that the problem, if left unchecked, could spiral into a national epidemic.