Assam Rifles and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized counterfeit cigarettes valued at Rs 59.2 lakh in Cachar district on Saturday, an Assam Rifles official based in Srikona said. Acting on intelligence, a joint team carried out searches at suspected locations and intercepted a truck carrying the consignment in the Tarapur area of Silchar. One person was arrested and the vehicle was impounded.
Preliminary inquiries indicate the seized stock consisted of counterfeit cigarettes of foreign origin that were being moved through Tarapur to other states for black‑market distribution. The arrested individual, the contraband and the truck were handed over to the DRI for further legal action and a wider probe into the smuggling network.
Officials said the operation reflects intensified vigil by Assam Rifles and the DRI along key transit routes to curb the flow of illegal goods across state borders. The agencies are continuing investigations to identify suppliers and distribution links and to prevent similar consignments from entering local and interstate markets.
