Five Chinese were arrested at a Kolkata railway station with 197 kg of banned drugs. Photo: Arindam Bhattacharya

The arrest on Saturday of five Chinese men in Kolkata carrying drugs worth Rs 40 crore has taken a sensational turn.

West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were facing difficulties in interrogating the suspects because of lanxguage issues. They made a rather fortuitous recovery of railway tickets procured from Beldanga in Murshidabad.

After discovering the Murshidabad link and sustained interrogation of the arrested suspects, the sleuths came to know about a small charcoal-producing factory in Madhupur.

On Saturday (June 30), Government Railway Police arrested the five at the Chitpur railway station with nearly 200 kg of amphetamine, a banned narcotic.

All five men belong to the Guangzhou province in China. Photo: Arindam Bhattacharya

According to locals, the factory was set up on leased land, almost four years ago. The factory regularly procured jute stalks at good prices from the local farmers. It was reportedly used to produce activated charcoal, which was then exported to China.

The locals were curious about what went behind the high walls of the heavily guarded premises. Even those who worked in the factory were asked to stick to their area of work and not loiter around the campus.

Investigators suspect that in the guise of activated charcoal dust probably drugs were manufactured, stored and dispatched. Samples of activated charcoal have been sent for forensic tests. Experts are being called in to ascertain if the equipment seized at the factory premises were being used to manufacture or process synthetic drugs.

The CID has also become aware of the 'presence' of some 30-odd Chinese citizens in remote Beldanga. Reportedly they are there to trade in cellphones and hair. They all have valid documents and as of now, there is nothing to suggest any links.

In a search operation where the accused accompanied the sleuths, some laptops and documents have been seized. Besides several articles of clothing and daily use were found inside the factory premises and confiscated.

A local Trinamool Congress leader Mosharaf Hossain said that they were made to believe that the factory set up by the 'outsiders' was bringing in foreign investment in the area. However, some other locals indicated that although there were some doubts, local politicians advised against any interference.

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