Darrang Police has seized huge consignments of Burmese supari (dry betel nuts from Myanmar) from various locations of Kharupetia town for their failure to produce valid documents.
The police have also detained three traders in this connection.
Under the leadership of Darrang deputy superintendent of police (headquarters), Mamoni Hazarika, a team from Kharupetia police station on Friday raided the godowns and residential campuses of three local supari traders at Hospital Road, Jayantipur and Gopal Nagar.
During the raids, the police team was able to seize illegal consignments of Burmese supari weighing 6,635 kilograms.
The market value of the supari brought from Silchar is estimated to be Rs 25.21 lakh.
“We have seized a total of 6, 635 kilogram Burmese supari, of which the market value will be around Rs 25.21 lakh.” deputy commissioner Mamoni Hazarika told media persons on Friday night.
“Three traders, namely Abdul Hakim, Prakash Saha and Sankar Saha have been apprehended for interrogation and investigations are still on,” Hazarika added.
The Kharupetia area once happened to be the hub of local supari trade in the state.
A heavy amount of revenue was generated from this industry and a large section of local people were also engaged in this trade for their livelihood.
However, with the illegal trading of Burmese supari, which can be bought at a cheaper rate, is gradually ruining the local supari industry.
The local supari trade is going on in the area but in a very limited manner and a section of traders are now getting engaged in dealing in illegal Burmese supari with a bigger profit-making motive in connivance with a section of corrupt police and officials of the other law-enforcing government agencies.