West Bengal CM Crushes 2 Lakh Confiscated Cough Syrup Bottles in Anti-Drug Drive

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday operated a road roller over more than two lakh confiscated bottles of codeine-based cough syrup in Balurghat, in a symbolic move underscoring the state government's resolve against drug abuse.

The event took place in the Dakshin Dinajpur district, outside the office of the Superintendent of Police. Adhikari was accompanied by Balurghat MP Sukanta Majumdar and state Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the drive was intended to send a clear message to both the public and those involved in the illegal narcotics trade. "My first message through this is that we have to bring the youth out of drug addiction," he stated, adding that anyone found involved in drug smuggling would face severe prosecution and imprisonment.

Adhikari also highlighted a shift in enforcement strategy along the Bangladesh border in Dakshin Dinajpur. He noted that a lack of coordination between the Border Security Force (BSF) and state police had previously allowed the illegal movement of such syrups. "Earlier, there was no coordination between the BSF and the police in Dakshin Dinajpur because the BSF was treated as an enemy," he said. He credited joint operations over the last four months for the recovery of these narcotics.

The Chief Minister asserted that since the current government assumed office, substantial quantities of drugs have been seized due to this improved collaboration between the BSF and state authorities. This visit marked Adhikari's first to Balurghat since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in the state.