Amid a nationwide lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, authorities seized several bags containing Phensedyl (banned cough syrup), narcotics and fake Indian currency notes, that were being smuggled across the India Bangladesh border.

The incident took place at a border village in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on May 6.

Officials seized at least 345 bottles of Phensedyl from Hakimpur village of Dinajpur district.

The contraband was put inside pumpkins and loaded in two bags to be smuggled into Bangladesh.

The value of the Phensedyl bottles were nearly Rs 53,000 (USD 703.78).

The cough syrup contains codeine, an opiate used to treat several ailments.

However, with the prohibition of alcohol in Bangladesh, consumers tend to use it as recreational beverages.

The video shows, a man is cutting down each pumpkin and bringing out the Phensedyl bottles that were being hidden inside for smuggling.

With a spike in addiction, the cough syrup fetches a good price and can be sold ten times its price.

Apart from this, there were incidents during the lockdown when 1,850 units of Phensedyl were seized across the India Bangladesh border.