Shillong, March 13: The BSF today recovered 5,550 bottles of Phensedyl cough syrup from a truck in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district. It was one of the biggest hauls of the codeine-containing cough syrup, which is used to manufacture narcotic drugs.

According to an official, the BSF intercepted a Tripura-bound truck (TR-1T-1625) at a mobile checkpost while carrying out checking at Sonapur bridge in East Jaintia Hills.

The truck was said to have been carrying palmolein oil. But, after frisking the vehicle, BSF personnel recovered 37 cartons containing 5,550 bottles of Phensedyl.

The troops also seized 1,100 tins of palmolein oil. The total value of the seized items is around Rs 38.16 lakh, the official said.

The driver and his assistant have been arrested. The driver has been identified as 25-year-old Tapal Nama Das from Ambassa village in Dhalai district of Tripura. The BSF recovered Rs 1,900, a mobile phone and a SIM card from the duo.

According to the driver, the owner of the truck loaded Phensedyl in Guwahati and it was being taken to Agartala, the BSF official said. The recovered items have been handed over to East Jaintia Hills district police for further action.

DG visit: BSF director-general Subhash Joshi yesterday reviewed the security scenario along the international border in the Meghalaya sector. He visited the border areas in the East Khasi Hills and the Jaintia Hills districts.

Joshi also reviewed the security scenario along the Indo-Bangladesh border.

The BSF’s Meghalaya frontier looks after border management of 443km of international borders with Bangladesh.

Under the Meghalaya frontier’s area, nine BSF battalions are deployed. Besides, one BSF battalion is deployed in Garo Hills for counter-insurgency operations against the GNLA.

Joshi visited Dawki and Pyrdiwah in East Khasi Hills district and reviewed the domination plan of border guards along the international border. Joshi exhorted the BSF jawans to maintain utmost vigil along the border and ensure security of the border population. He also declared 2013 as the year of BSF jawans.

He also appreciated the operational performance of the Meghalaya frontier, but said border management needed improvement in order for border populations to feel safe.