Fake electric transformers used for Ganja smuggling, TSECL

A high level team of Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) on Friday visited Dharmanagar police station to investigate electric transformers used for smuggling of dry Cannabis (Ganja).

On May 12 last, the North Tripura district police detained a lorry with registration of Uttar Pradesh at Churaibari gate and recovered huge quantities of Ganja hidden in electric transformers with fake transportation challen. Police have also arrested two drug peddlers.

While smuggling cannabis from Agartala to Guwahati, the drug traffickers used electric transformers, which prompted a high-level investigation. A delegation of TSECL from the capital city Agartala rushed to the Churaibari police station to look into the matter. They examined the transformers on-site and conducted various tests.

They reported that these are not transformers belonging to the Tripura Power Department. In short, the traffickers used these transformers as a unique method for drug smuggling.

On Monday afternoon (May 12) of this week, police at Tripura’s Churaibari police station seized dried cannabis worth Rs 4 crore from inside the transformers being transported from Tripura to Guwahati. The contraband was found in 96 packets totaling 960 kg of dried Ganja, hidden inside ten transformers in a truck bearing the number UP-58-AT/1128.

Along with the ganja, police arrested two individuals: truck driver Awadhesh Kumar (42) and co-driver Pramod Kumar (59), both residents of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Some documents were also recovered with the transformers.

After media reporters over Ganja smuggling with electric transformers, TSECL General Manager Swapan Debbarma, along with the DGM of Panisagar with other department staff, visited Churaibari police station to inspect the transformers on-site. Also present were North District’s Additional Superintendent of Police, Jeremiah Darlong, and the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the police station, Khokan Saha.

After the on-site inspection, Mr. Debbarma stated that these transformers were not used for electrical purposes by TSECL and these were made for transportation of drugs. Furthermore, this size of transformer is not used by the Tripura Power Department. According to him, these transformers were custom-made specifically for smuggling ganja. He also noted that the signature found on the recovered documents was also forged and TSECL never issued such documents for transportation of electrical goods.

Meanwhile, Additional SP (North Tripura) Jeremiah Darlong stated that a report would be submitted to the police by TSECL and he also confirmed that the transformers do not belong to the Power department and for the sake of the investigation; he declined to provide further details.