Cannabis Smuggling Booms: Traffickers Offer Rs.10,000–Rs.15,000 Per Kg to Couriers, Target Rural Women as New Smuggling Strategy

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, July 16, 2025

A dangerous trend is emerging across Tripura as drug traffickers have devised a new method to earn massive profits by smuggling cannabis (ganja) to major Indian cities. The lure of quick money is drawing many, particularly rural women, into the dark web of narcotics trafficking.

According to reliable sources, traffickers are offering Rs.10,000 per kg of cannabis smuggled to Bihar, Rs. 12,000 for deliveries to New Delhi, and up to Rs. 15,000 per kg if successfully delivered to Mumbai. This high-profit margin has triggered a wave of organized smuggling originating from the interior areas of Tripura.

To avoid police suspicion, smugglers are increasingly employing rural women as couriers, often under the pretext of household or travel needs. Many are promised large sums of money for single trips. Bamboo baskets (locally known as Sikili) and traditional luggage are being used to conceal the contraband, especially at key points like Agartala Railway Station.

The situation is alarming. In today's incident, a young woman named Jhuma Debbarma from Bishram Para (Taidu, Ampi) was arrested at Agartala Railway Station while trying to smuggle over Rs. 7.5 lakh worth of ganja. The cannabis was hidden inside a traditional Tiprasa basket, intended for Assam-bound networks.

But the problem doesn’t end there. Authorities reveal that many women are now becoming local suppliers, openly selling cannabis and other drugs from their homes in several rural and suburban areas. These women function as middle-level distributors, connecting large suppliers with street-level consumers.

A senior officer, on condition of anonymity, said, “We know where some of these networks are operating, but in many cases, political pressure prevents us from taking firm action. There are repeated interventions when we try to act against certain suppliers. This is weakening the enforcement system.”

Local residents, especially in areas like Bishramganj, Taidu, Melaghar, and Khumulwng, have started expressing concerns about the growing influence of the drug trade and the involvement of women and even minors in smuggling.

Social activists warn that unless strong political will and impartial policing are ensured, this trend could severely affect the social fabric of Tripura. They urge for special rehabilitation and awareness drives for women being used as pawns in this deadly business.

As the cannabis trafficking chain strengthens its grip through rural routes and vulnerable women, Tripura may soon face a crisis far worse than just a law-and-order problem, a deepening social and generational addiction trap.

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