The joint operation was the part of the Manipur’s government and Assam Rifles “war on drugs” initiative launched in the Northeastern state of Manipur to break the economic backbone of the traffickers in the Northeast, said the officials.
According to the Assam Rifles, the team comprising the Assam Rifles and Manipur police launched a joint operation on December 6 after it got intelligence based lead, raided a location in Moreh town in Manipur and recovered a large quantity of narcotics whose estimated cost runs in excess of over Rs 500 crores.
According to the Assam Rifles, the narcotics included 54 kgs of brown sugar and 154 kgs of ice meth. The team also nabbed one trafficker of Myanmar origin in this connection and further investigation is on, announced Assam Rifles.
Congratulating the Assam Rifles and Manipur police, Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh tweeted saying that the team raided a warehouse, seized 3716 soap cases of suspected heroin and 152 packets of suspected crystal meth or ice meth.
Biren Singh said this is one of the biggest seizures of drugs under the “war on drugs” initiative of the state government.
The the Assam Rifles and Manipur police have yet to reveal the whole network and its origin but the nabbing of the Myanmar origin trafficker has amply demonstrated that the haul could have its origins from the famous golden triangle, the border areas of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, the southeast Asian countries, sources said.
The joint operation like this one should be a routine affair and the BSF, ITBP and security forces with state police in Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir should launch similar operation to nab the traffickers from infamous Golden crescent of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran in the western borders of India, said the anti-drug experts.
Recently, Himachal Police and the state Drug Authority also booked a private firm in pharma hub of Solan and Sirmaur allegedly manufacturing contraband worth crores of rupees. The police is investigating the case establishing its linkages with the flourishing contraband underground trade, the sources said.
According to the sources, these drugs enter Indian metros and other cities through a rag tag chain of traffickers by land and air and other routes and land in the hands of their users through the local contacts. The smugglers are using new ways and packing methods and products to hoodwink the police, they said.
