Imphal/Guwahati, June 10: The law enforcement agencies have seized drugs valued at over Rs 100 crore in Manipur and Assam and arrested nine drug peddlers during the past 48 hours, officials said on Tuesday.

A senior official of the Manipur Home Department said that a special operation codenamed “Operation White Veil” was carried out in the bordering areas of Churachandpur district of Manipur by a joint team of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Customs, Assam Rifles, and the Manipur Police.

"The joint team seized 7,755.75 grams of heroin valued at Rs 54.29 crore and 6,736 grams of opium valued at Rs 87.57 lakh in the international grey drug market, along with Rs 35.63 lakh cash.

Two walkie-talkies and one vehicle have been seized, and five persons arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, the official said.

He said that the drugs, which were recovered from a house at Thadou Veng in Singngat Sub-Division in Churachandpur district, were contained in many soap cases and small tin cans.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the seized contraband drugs were smuggled into the bordering areas of Churachandpur from Myanmar through the porous forested India-Myanmar border. In spite of the challenges and difficulties, a well-coordinated action by the law enforcement agencies led to the successful operation. The NDPS Act prescribes stringent punishment to offenders, which may entail rigorous imprisonment up to ten years.

Earlier on several occasions, large quantities of drugs were seized from Churachandpur, which shares a border with Mizoram and Myanmar.

In Assam, drugs valued at Rs 45 crore were seized from Cachar district, and four drug peddlers were arrested.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appreciated the police for the recovery of the drugs. In a post on social media platform X, he said: "In two successful anti-narcotics operations, Cachar district police seized 1.5 lakh Yaba tablets worth Rs 45 crore in two back-to-back operations based on credible intelligence."

"Four people were arrested in this regard. Assam Police stands firm in protecting our youth," the Chief Minister said.

This latest seizure adds to a series of successful operations led by Assam Police as part of the state's aggressive anti-narcotics drive. Officials said that, as usual, the seized drugs in Manipur and Assam were smuggled from Myanmar, which shares a 1,643 km unfenced border with four northeastern states of Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland. This unfenced international border serves as a key transit point for drugs, particularly heroin and methamphetamine tablets, entering India.

--IANS

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