Drugs valued at Rs 40 crore seized in Mizoram, five arrested

Aizawl, Jan 14 Police and other law enforcement agencies in Mizoram have seized highly addictive methamphetamine tablets valued at over Rs 40 crore and arrested five drug peddlers during the past 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday.

A senior official said that the police and other enforcement agencies in joint operations have seized a large quantity of methamphetamine in two separate operations over the past 24 hours, arresting five persons.

In the first operation, the Excise and Narcotics Department seized 11.118 kg of methamphetamine tablets from Khatla locality near the Tennis Court in Aizawl and arrested two persons in connection with the case.

The banned drugs, amounting to about 1.20 lakh methamphetamine tablets, was recovered from the possession of one Yahya Hussain (23), a resident of Jagannathpur in southern Assam’s Sribhumi (formerly Karimganj) district and Lalchhuanliana (45), a resident of Champhai district, Mizoram.

A car allegedly used for transporting the drugs, was seized along with two mobile phones.

The official said that as per the preliminary investigation the drugs were smuggled from Myanmar being transported towards Assam when it was intercepted.

In the second operation, police personnel at Dapchhuah Check Post under West Phaileng Police station seized around 1.89 kg of suspected methamphetamine and arrested three persons, all from Assam’s Karimganj district.

Police said a car travelling from the Aizawl side, was intercepted at the check post on suspicion of carrying contraband.

A thorough search of the vehicle, conducted in the presence of independent witnesses, led to the recovery of the drugs concealed inside a backpack placed on the rear seat.

The arrested persons were identified as Sarimul Haque (38), Shamsul Hoque (38), and Nazam Uddin (21), all residents of Assam’s Sribhumi district.

All the five drug peddlers have been booked under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and were produced before the Special Court (NDPS Act), Aizawl district.

The methamphetamine tablets, also known as Yaba or party tablets, contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are commonly referred to as the ‘crazy drug’.

They are banned in India. Mizoram shares 510 km and 318 km unfenced border with Myanmar and Bangladesh, respectively.

Myanmar's Chin state is a hub for the smuggling of varied drugs, exotic wildlife animals and many other contraband through six Mizoram districts -- Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip.

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