Drugs valued at Rs 62 cr seized in Mizoram, 3 held

Aizawl, Oct 8 Assam Rifles on Tuesday seized huge quantities of drugs valued at nearly Rs 62 crore and arrested three drug peddlers in two separate operations in Mizoram's Champhai district, along the Myanmar border, officials said.

Assam Rifles sources said that acting on a tip-off, the para-military force troops conducted an operation in the Zote area and seized 284.43 grams of heroin worth Rs 1.99 crore. One person was arrested on the spot.

In the second operation at the Melbuk area, the para-military personnel seized over two lakh methamphetamine tablets valued at Rs 60 crore and arrested two drug smugglers.

The sources said that three drug peddlers along with the seized drugs, were handed over to the police for taking further legal actions.

The drugs -- heroin and methamphetamine tablets -- have been smuggled from Myanmar and intended to ferry to other parts of India or abroad through southern Assam.

Mizoram, southern Assam and Tripura have become corridors of drug smuggling as the three northeastern states share borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Popular among the drug addicts, the highly addictive Methamphetamine tablets, also known as party tablets or Yaba, were often smuggled from Myanmar and were being ferried to other parts of India and abroad.

Meanwhile, Mizoram Chief Secretary Renu Sharma on Tuesday held the 8th Meeting of the State Level Narcotics Coordination Centre in Aizawl.

The Chief Secretary praised the dedication and efforts of law enforcement agencies for their efforts and also urged all stakeholders to continue their efforts in the fight against drugs.

The district Deputy Commissioners and Superintendent of Police were also instructed to convene district-level meetings regularly on a monthly basis for better coordination and to use the meetings as a useful opportunity to share experiences and useful information in combating the drug menace at the district level.

Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte, who is also the Head of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force while highlighting the efforts of Mizoram Police to deal with the drug menaces stated that in the year current year up to the month of August, drugs worth over Rs 1797 crore have been seized and 640 cases were registered and 870 persons have been arrested.

Source: IANS