The Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police in a joint operation have seized heroin and highly addictive Methamphetamine tablets worth over Rs 7.64 crore and apprehended the drug smuggler, officials said on Wednesday.
A Defence spokesman said that the Assam Rifles troopers and Mizoram Police personnel arrested a drug peddler at Zokhawthar in bordering Champhai district and a huge haul of heroin and Methamphetamine tablets (weighing 2.276 kg) worth Rs 7.64 crore was recovered from him on Tuesday night.
The apprehended drug peddler was identified as Lalruatzauva (34), a resident of Champhai district, which shared borders with Myanmar.
The entire consignment of the drugs and the individual was taken into custody by the Police Department of Zokhawthar district for further investigation and legal proceedings.
A police official said that the drugs were smuggled from Myanmar.
“Ongoing smuggling of contraband items is a major cause of concern for the state of Mizoram and India. Assam Rifles have continued their efforts against illegal smuggling and have also doubled efforts to nab the kingpins,” an official statement said.
On January 24, the Assam Rifles along with the officials of the Excise and Narcotics Department seized heroin valued at Rs 35.51 crore from the same Champhai district and two people were arrested in this connection.
Although six Mizoram districts – Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip – share a 510 km-long unfenced border with Myanmar’s Chin state, mountainous Champhai district is the hot spot for smuggling of various drugs, arms and ammunition and various other contraband.
Various drugs, especially heroin and highly addictive methamphetamine tablets are often smuggled into the northeastern states of India from Myanmar, which shares a 1,643 km-long unfenced border with four northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km) and Mizoram (510 km).
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