Heroin Worth Rs 35.51 Crore Seized in Mizoram, Two Arrested
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On January 25, 2023, Mizoram authorities seized heroin valued at Rs 35.51 crore and arrested two individuals. The Assam Rifles and Excise and Narcotics Department conducted the operation after intercepting a truck smuggling drugs from Myanmar, highlighting ongoing issues with narcotics trafficking in the region.
Key Takeaways
- Heroin seized valued at Rs 35.51 crore
- Two individuals arrested in Mizoram
- Drugs smuggled from Myanmar
- Operation conducted by Assam Rifles and Excise Department
- Concern over narcotics trafficking in northeastern India
Aizawl, Jan 25 (NationPress) Heroin worth Rs 35.51 crore has been confiscated in Mizoram, leading to the arrest of two individuals, as reported by officials on Saturday.
The Assam Rifles, in conjunction with officials from the Excise and Narcotics Department, successfully intercepted a truck containing heroin that had been smuggled from Myanmar.
A defense spokesperson indicated that the Assam Rifles personnel, alongside Excise and Narcotics officials, stopped a truck at Chhungte on National Highway-6 while it was traveling from the border region of Champhai district to the capital, Aizawl, on Friday night.
During a meticulous search of the vehicle, they discovered 5073 grams of heroin, valued at Rs 35.51 crore, concealed in a hidden compartment of the truck.
The para-military forces detained two suspects: Gilbert Lalnunhlima (27) and Lalawmpuia (29), who hail from Kolasib and Aizawl districts in Mizoram.
The complete consignment, along with the arrested drug traffickers, has been transferred to the Excise and Narcotics Department for subsequent legal action.
"The persistent smuggling of narcotics poses a significant challenge for both Mizoram and India. The Assam Rifles remain committed to combating illegal smuggling and have intensified efforts to apprehend the masterminds behind these narcotic trades in Mizoram," stated an official release.
Earlier this week, personnel from the Assam Rifles and Mizoram police seized 260 cases of foreign cigarettes valued at Rs 3.38 crore and apprehended an individual in Lawngtlai district.
Despite six districts in Mizoram - Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip - sharing a 510 km unfenced border with Myanmar's Chin state, the mountainous Champhai district remains a hotspot for the smuggling of various drugs, weapons, and other illicit goods.
Numerous drugs, particularly heroin and highly addictive methamphetamine tablets, are commonly trafficked into the northeastern states of India from Myanmar, which shares a total 1,643 km unfenced border with four northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km), and Mizoram (510 km).
