Imphal: In a significant crackdown on drug smuggling, authorities in Manipur intercepted a consignment of contraband brown sugar destined for Guwahati in Assam.
The seizure occurred in Mao, the last border town in Manipur before Nagaland, as detailed in an official statement released on Wednesday.
The operation, which took place on Monday around 5 pm, involved a coordinated effort by Assam Rifles, Manipur Rifles, and the Mao police station.
Acting on intelligence inputs, the team conducted thorough frisking and checking near the Mao Martyred Park.
During this operation, a blue Bolero vehicle traveling from Senapati towards Nagaland was stopped and searched.
Upon inspection, 22 soap cases containing a total of 260 grams of suspected brown sugar were found hidden on both sides of the vehicle’s rear door.
The seized narcotics are valued at approximately Rs 5 lakhs in the international market.
The driver, identified as Th John, 32, a resident of Lai village in Senapati district of Manipur, was arrested at the scene.
The arrested individual admitted during on-spot interrogation that the contraband was intended to be handed over to associates in Guwahati, Assam.
Both the seized drugs and the vehicle have been handed over to the Mao police station in Manipur.
A case has been registered against the smuggler under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Further investigations are ongoing to uncover more details about the smuggling network, according to the official report.