Drugs valued at over Rs 143 crore seized in Mizoram & Manipur; 3 held

Aizawl/Imphal, Sep 18 (IANS) In a major haul, the security forces have seized drugs valued over Rs 143 crore and arrested three persons in Mizoram and Manipur over the past 24 hours, officials said on Thursday.

A defence spokesman said that in a major strike against cross-border narco-trafficking, Assam Rifles, based on specific intelligence, conducted a search operation on Wednesday night near Zote village in Mizoram's Champhai District, which shares an unfenced border with Myanmar.

During the operation, troops intercepted a suspected individual carrying a consignment. On being challenged, the person abandoned the load and fled into the nearby deep jungle, taking advantage of the terrain. A thorough search of the area led to the recovery of 34.218 kg of highly addictive and banned methamphetamine tablets valued at over Rs 102.65 crore.

The spokesman said that in another operation, Assam Rifles seized 12 grams of heroin valued at approximately Rs 8.4 lakh at Zemabawk in Mizoram's Aizawl district on Wednesday night.

Acting on specific intelligence about the trafficking of narcotics, a joint operation of Assam Rifles with the Territorial Army, Aizawl, was launched at the Zemabawk areas and during the operation, one suspected drug peddler was intercepted and searched.

During the search of the individual, 12 grams of heroin were recovered from him. The apprehended individual was identified as Lalchchuanmawia (25), a resident of Zote in Champhai District.

The seized narcotics, along with the apprehended individual, have been handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, Aizawl, for further investigation. This successful operation underscores Assam Rifles’ unwavering resolve to combat narco-network along the India-Myanmar border, while safeguarding the youth of the Nation from the scourge of drugs, an Assam Rifles statement said.

In Manipur, security forces arrested two suspected drug smugglers and recovered brown sugar and methamphetamine tablets worth around Rs 40 crore.

A police official in Imphal said that the seizure of drugs and the arrests took place in Tengnoupal district, bordering Myanmar, during two separate operations conducted during the past 24 hours.

In the first operation, the security forces intercepted a van at the Naka Check Post in the Tengnoupal police station area.

The driver, Md Nousad (21), a resident of Kakching district, was arrested. Around 50 packets of methamphetamine tablets weighing 10.8 kg, the van, and a mobile phone were seized from him.

The estimated value of the drugs is over Rs 30 crore. Subsequently, security forces intercepted another van at the same checkpost.

The driver, Hengougin Haokip (23), a resident of Kangpokpi district, was arrested. Seized from him were 11 soap cases containing 125 grams of brown Sugar, the vehicle, and a mobile phone. The estimated value of the drugs is over Rs 10 crore.

Meanwhile, Assam Rifles seized heroin valued at approximately Rs 20.10 crore in Mizoram.

According to a defence spokesman, acting on specific intelligence about the trafficking of narcotics, an operation was launched on Tuesday night at Thingluang Kai in the Melbuk Road area in Mizoram's Champhai district and seized 2.462 kg of heroin valued at Rs 20.10 crore.

The latest seizure of drugs was the biggest haul of narcotics after the Mizoram government, on September 1, launched a four-month-long special campaign and anti-drug operation to curb the illegal trade of drugs and their menace.

A variety of drugs, especially highly addictive methamphetamine tablets and heroin and different types of contraband, including exotic animals, are often illegally traded through six districts in Mizoram -- Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip. These six districts share unfenced borders of 510 km with Myanmar. From Mizoram, these drugs are ferried to other parts of the country and abroad, including Bangladesh, through Assam and Tripura.

--IANS

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