Imphal/Aizawl, Sep 14 (IANS): Security forces in Manipur and Mizoram have seized heroin worth over Rs 5.8 crore, recovered a US-made .32-calibre pistol and arrested five suspected drug peddlers in separate operations, officials said on Monday.
A defence spokesman said that acting on specific intelligence, Assam Rifles under the Spear Corps, in coordination with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), intercepted two vehicles in Manipur’s Churachandpur district and recovered 2.5 kg of suspected heroin, valued at approximately Rs 5 crore.
Two suspected drug peddlers were apprehended in connection with the seizure.
The operation reaffirmed the steadfast resolve of the security forces and partner agencies to disrupt narcotics trafficking networks, the spokesman said.
Churachandpur district shares an inter-state border with Mizoram and an unfenced international border with Myanmar, making it vulnerable to cross-border smuggling.
In Mizoram, acting on credible intelligence regarding the transhipment of narcotics in the Iron Gate area of Zokhawthar in Champhai district, Assam Rifles troops, in coordination with the state police, launched a joint operation on Sunday night.
During the operation, the joint team intercepted two suspected persons at Iron Gate in Zokhawthar and recovered 44 grams of suspected heroin, valued at approximately Rs 8.8 lakh, from their possession.
The two suspected drug peddlers were apprehended and subsequently handed over to Zokhawthar Police Station for further investigation and legal proceedings.
The seizure reflected the Assam Rifles’ continued resolve to dismantle drug trafficking networks and ensure the safety and security of the border population in Mizoram, an official statement said.
In another operation, acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of illegal arms in the Saron Veng area of Aizawl, Assam Rifles launched a joint operation with the Mizoram Police.
During the operation, the joint team apprehended one person.
A subsequent search led to the recovery of a US-made .32-calibre pistol, one magazine and three live rounds from his possession.
The apprehended person, along with the recovered pistol, magazine and ammunition, was handed over to Aizawl Police for further investigation and necessary legal action under the Arms Act.
The official statement said the operation highlighted the effectiveness, vigilance and intelligence-based approach of the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police in combating illegal possession and trafficking of arms and maintaining security in Mizoram.
Police said the seized drugs were suspected to have been smuggled from Myanmar.
Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors in the Northeast due to their long and porous international borders with Myanmar and proximity to the Golden Triangle, one of the world’s major illicit narcotics-producing regions.
Six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur share around 910 km of unfenced international border with Myanmar.
