National Highway 37, passing through Bokakhat town, has turned into a corridor for various illegal trades, including Burmese betel nuts, smuggled coal, drugs, illegal timber, and cattle trafficking. The police in Bokakhat have once again confiscated a 14-wheeler vehicle loaded with Burmese betel nuts. According to reports, a vehicle carrying approximately 300 sacks of Burmese betel nuts was headed towards Guwahati via National Highway 37 when someone stopped the vehicle near Panbari in Bokakhat.
Nawab Iqbal, the driver of the vehicle with the registration number WB 65 C 7191, was found inside the car with the doors locked by the Bokakhat police. The police seized the vehicle along with the driver and a handyman and brought them to the Bokakhat police station. The vehicle, which was heading towards Guwahati and loaded with betel nuts, was mysteriously followed by a group of 4-5 individuals from Bokakhat, who forced the car to stop. However, the group fled before the police arrived.
The vehicle was seized by Bokakhat police while it was parked near the barricade of the forest department in Panbari. In the meantime, Bokakhat police have arrested the driver and the handyman of the vehicle and registered a case with Bokakhat P.S. C/No. 86/2024/U.S.61(2)/303(2)/318(4)/336(3)BNS. It is noteworthy that there have been allegations that a powerful illicit syndicate has been responsible for the smuggling of cattle, buffaloes, Burmese betel nuts, illegal coal, and unauthorized timber through Bokakhat from various places over the past few days.
Furthermore, a particular group has been collecting large sums of money through threats and intimidation from these illegal transporters. As a result, the informed public has demanded that Bokakhat police not only take stricter measures and robust actions to stop the illegal supply but also to dismantle this specific group that is illegally collecting money.
