The Manipur Police and Assam Rifles troopers have seized 582 kg brown sugar smuggled in from Myanmar valued at Rs 2,320 crore in three different actions since October 28, officials said on Thursday.
The Manipur government has announced a cash reward of Rs 30 lakh for 94 police personnel of Thoubal and Bishunpur districts, including district Superintendents of Police Sarangthem Ibomcha Singh and L. Priyadarshini, respectively, for seizing the huge quantity of drugs in the two districts of central Manipur.
The police and intelligence officials have confirmed that the drugs were smuggled in from neighbouring Myanmar.
According to an official statement of Manipur Home Department, the police in Thoubal district seized 435.945 kg brown sugar and 438 litres of morphinated liquid from the residence of one Kayamuddin Alias Amuthi on October 29 at the Moijing Awang locality.
The police had also busted a drug processing laboratory.
In another action, the police seized 74 kg brown sugar from a Chevrolet car in Khordak Ichin locality in Bishunpur district on October 28.
In the third incident, the Assam Rifles troopers and Manipur Police personnel recovered 72 kg brown sugar from a hideout in Kamu village in Thoubal district on November 11.
Smuggling of drugs, arms and other contraband takes place frequently in the northeastern region from across the borders, especially from Myanmar.
The industry body, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), said that the recent rise in smuggling in the northeastern region can be attributed to the economic distress insinuated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Loss of jobs and lack of income due to recurrent lockdowns have left citizens without means of livelihood. Reports suggest that smugglers and insurgents are using people from the local tribal areas to transport smuggled goods by taking advantage of their financial vulnerability caused due to Covid-19,” a FICCI report said.
The FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE), headed by Anil Rajput, appreciated the efforts of Assam Rifles and other agencies for their anti-smuggling operations.
