Drugs valued at Rs 6.56 crore seized in Assam, Mizoram; 6 arrested

Silchar/Aizawl, June 20 (IANS) Security forces have seized drugs valued at around Rs 6.56 crore in Assam and Mizoram and arrested six drug peddlers including a woman during the past 24 hours, officials said.

A police official in Silchar said that based on credible intelligence, Cachar Police launched a special operation against the illegal transportation of narcotic substances and intercepted a passenger bus coming from neighbouring Manipur and apprehended three persons.

During a thorough search of the bus police team recovered 3.09 kg of suspected morphine concealed inside the packets of foreign made cigarettes.

Also the police team recovered 240 cartons of Myanmarese cigarettes and other drugs. The prices of the psychotropic substances along with other foreign made products are valued at around Rs 5 crore, the official said.

The recovered narcotic substance has been seized in presence of independent witnesses.

During the examination conducted at the place of occurrence, the drug detection kit showed positive results for morphine. The three arrested drug peddlers identified as Md. Achouba, Kamthiangsan Khongsal and Saidur Rahman.

All three are residents of different districts of neighbouring Manipur. In Mizoram, in three separate operations, the security forces have seized drugs valued at Rs 1.56 crore and arrested three persons including a woman from Champhai and Zokhawthar districts.

Meanwhile, an official statement said that the Customs Preventive force seized various drugs worth Rs 30.17 crore and arrested one person in three separate raids in southern Assam’s Silchar and Agartala on June 18.

“Customs remains committed to combating all types of cross border crime involving smuggling of drugs and narcotics, gold, cigarettes, wildlife articles, Fake Indian Currency Notes, import-export frauds and trade based money laundering. Customs works in close partnership with various other law enforcement agencies,” the statement said.

Various drugs, including methamphetamine tablets and heroin, are often smuggled from Myanmar and illegally ferried to various parts of India and Bangladesh through the northeastern states.

Myanmar, which shares a 1,643 km unfenced border with four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram -- serves as a key transit point for drugs and other contrabands entering India. Myanmar's Chin state is a hub for smuggling of varied drugs, exotic wildlife animals and many other contraband.

--IANS

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