Imphal: Kohima Police have seized 20,000 tablets of suspected Yaba (methamphetamine) valued at around Rs 1.6 crore and arrested two people in connection with the alleged drug trafficking.
The accused have been identified as Nazrul Islam (36) and Deben Kumar Das (40), both residents of Assam’s Silchar district.
According to a statement issued by the Kohima Police PRO on Monday, the seizure was made during routine vehicle-checking and surveillance at the Kidima Prayer Park junction in Kohima.
Police intercepted a Hyundai Venue (AS01EB0630) after noticing suspected modifications to the vehicle. A section of its floor appeared to have been recently welded and freshly painted, raising suspicion among the personnel.
A subsequent search reportedly uncovered several small packets wrapped in black polythene concealed inside cavities within the vehicle’s structure.
Police said a detailed search resulted in the recovery of 10 medium-sized packets containing 20,000 suspected Yaba tablets. The drugs have an estimated commercial value of approximately Rs 1.6 crore.
The two occupants of the vehicle were detained at the spot and taken into custody.
During preliminary questioning, the accused allegedly told police that they had collected the narcotics from Churachandpur in Manipur and were travelling towards Silchar in Assam.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Kezocha police station, and further investigation is underway.