IMPHAL: In a big win for security forces working for a drug free North East, contraband worth Rs. 118 Crore was seized at Manipur's frontier town Moreh on Wednesday.
Based on prior inputs about the movement of drug traffickers in possession of contraband items, the Assam Rifles launched an operation. The troops also set up a mobile vehicle check post at Pungching village in the New Moreh area under Moreh Police Station.
Thereafter, the Assam Rifles troops intercepted an auto rickshaw. After a detailed search, the troops were able to recover five bags that contained 118 kg of pseudoephedrine tablets.
However, the driver of the auto rickshaw managed to run away.
The seized quantity of pseudoephedrine tablets is estimated to be around Rs. 118 Crore in the international market.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the paramilitary force, it is said that pseudoephedrine is used in making methamphetamine tablets, another contraband substance. The seized items have been handed over to Moreh Police for initiating necessary investigation into the case.
It may be mentioned here that Manipur has been a transit route for cross border contraband smuggling activities with many of such activities linked to Myanmar based groups. However, the war on drugs launched by Chief Minister Biren Singh led Manipur Government has endeavoured on its mission to make the state drug free.
It may be recalled here that in the month of December last year, contraband worth over Rs. 500 Crore was recovered from Moreh town in a joint operation launched by Assam Rifles & Manipur Police, based on reliable inputs. The security forces managed to seize 54 kilograms of brown sugar along with 154 kilograms of Ice Meth.
The media reports suggested that the contraband was seized from the residence of a woman who was married to a Chinese national. There were also suspicions that the woman was a resident of Mandalay in Myanmar.
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