RPF seizes 943 kg of narcotics worth Rs 54.98 crore in Thiruvananthapuram division
Seizures recorded in 108 cases between January and September as the Railway Protection Force steps up checks under Operation NARCOS
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 16 (PTI) The RPF in Thiruvananthapuram Division seized 943 kg of narcotic substances worth Rs 54.98 crore in 108 cases between January and September this year, officials said on Friday.
The seizures were part of sustained efforts to prevent the railway network from being used to transport narcotics, according to a statement.
The Railway Protection Force's Detective Wings and Crime Prevention Teams based in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam are actively engaged in detecting and preventing such trafficking.
Regular surveillance, intensive patrolling and checks are being carried out on trains, at stations, on platforms, in circulating areas and at other vulnerable locations across the division, the statement said.
These efforts support Operation NARCOS, the RPF's nationwide initiative to curb the smuggling of narcotic substances through the railway network. The operation focuses on checks and coordinated action with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other law enforcement agencies.
The RPF works closely with the Government Railway Police (GRP), local police, the Excise Department and the NCB to prevent the transportation of narcotics and other illegal items through railway premises and on trains, the statement said.
During the same period, coordinated checks also detected 31 cases involving banned tobacco products and Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). The seizures included 750.15 kg of such items valued at Rs 7.66 lakh, the statement said.
Passengers have been urged to remain alert and promptly report suspected trafficking or suspicious activities to RPF personnel, the statement added. PTI