Indian officials have made one of their largest hauls of cannabis in recent months, seizing nearly 10 tonnes of the drug in north-eastern Assam state. Police told the BBC officers swooped on three truckloads of the drug near the town of Tezpur in Sonitpur district.
Twelve smugglers, dressed as border guards, fled after being challenged.
"Personnel insisted on searching the trucks because the smell of cannabis was strong," police superintendent Apurba Baruah told the BBC.
Growing trade
KC Mohan, the assistant director of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in Assam, said the cannabis was valued at more than 46m Indian rupees (about $1m).
He accused a former border guard of masterminding the gang's efforts to smuggle cannabis out of the north-east to the rest of India.
Two months ago, nearly eight tonnes of cannabis were seized in another part of Assam, and in February six men dressed as border guards were arrested transporting 10 tonnes of the drug, also in Assam.
Customs officials say there has been a sharp increase in cannabis production in the north-east.
Tribal farmers are turning to planting cannabis because they make much more money by selling it than by growing other crops.
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