Imphal: A joint team of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Customs, Assam Rifles, and Manipur Police has seized drugs and cash worth Rs 55.52 crore during an operation in Churachandpur district, a government statement said.
“A special operation codenamed ‘Operation White Veil’ was carried out in the bordering areas of Churachandpur district of Manipur on June 5-7 by a joint team of DRI, Customs, Assam Rifles and Manipur Police,” it said on Monday.
In the early hours of June 6, two suspects in a vehicle at Behiang village bordering Myanmar were discreetly pursued, leading to a residential house at Thadou Veng in Singngat sub-division. On searching the house, 219 soap cases containing heroin and eight packages and 8 small tin cans containing opium were recovered along with two walkie-talkies and cash amounting to Rs 7,58,050. While one person was apprehended from the house, two other persons, who escaped, were intercepted at Bualkot check gate, the statement said.
It said that two Baofeng walkie-talkies and a Maruti Suzuki Eeco van have been seized, and five people have been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Preliminary investigation indicates the seized drugs were smuggled into the bordering areas of Churachandpur district from Myanmar through the porous forested Indo-Myanmar border.
In spite of the challenges and difficulties, a well-coordinated action by the law enforcement agencies led to the successful operation, it added.
The NDPS Act prescribes stringent punishment to offenders, which may entail rigorous imprisonment up to 10 years.
