Tengnoupal police seize gold bars worth Rs 2 crore
Source: The Sangai Express

Tengnoupal , December 12 2017: Tengnoupal district police arrested two individuals and seized 40 gold bars, worth around Rs 2 crore, at Tengnoupal district Hqs, along Imphal-Moreh road, at around 2 pm yesterday .

The arrested individuals along with the seized gold bars were displayed before media persons at Imphal West SP conference hall today afternoon .

Briefing media persons, Tengnoupal SP, Dr S Ibomcha stated that acting on specific inputs received from Customs Preventive Force, Moreh, about smuggling of some gold bars from Moreh towards Imphal, a team of Tengnoupal police under his supervision, consisting of Sub Inspector DU Koshing (RO to SP) and SI Hekhanii Henry , carried out frisking and checking of vehicles coming from Moreh side at Tengnoupal DHQs along National Highway 102 .

Tengnoupal police seize gold bars worth Rs 2 crore

During the operation, two silver Maruti Suzuki Omni (vans), bearing registration number MN-01S/9384 and AS-01DB/0580 respectively, were detained due to suspicion .

The police carried out identification of the drivers and searched the vehicles thoroughly and found two packets of gold bars (each containing 20 bars and weighing 6.632 Kgs in total) wrapped in black and transparent cellotape, concealed on the side of the rear door of one of the vehicle (AS-01DB/0580) .

On preliminary interrogation, the owner of the van, Md Iqbal Hussain (31) s/o Md Allaudin of Kwakta Terakhongsangbi, disclosed that he had smuggled the gold bars from Myanmar in collusion with Md Gayajuddin alias Sagei alias Ningthou (33) s/o (L) Md Allimuddin of Lilong Kaleikhong (the driver of the other vehicle) and another individual who is only identified as one Md Aslam (31) of Lilong Mayai Leikai .

After the disclosure, the police arrested the two individuals from the spot at around 5.30 pm yesterday .

The district police also seized the 40 gold bars (worth around Rs 2 crore), the two vehicles, two Aadhaar cards in the name of Iqbal Hussain Allauddin, one Aadhaar card in the name of Md Gayajuddin and two mobile phones (one each from the possession of the two individuals),
The SP further pointed out that the arrested individuals along with the seized items will be handed over to SP, Customs Preventive Force, Moreh, for taking up necessary legal actions .

SP Ibomcha said that ever since he took over charge as SP of Tengnoupal district on June 22, yesterday's seizure of gold bars is the first of its kind and is a great achievement for the district police .

On many previous occasions, the district police managed to prevent illegal transportation of drugs and alcohol and disposed it in the presence of local villagers, he added .

The SP further appealed to all to extend support and provide cooperation in the drives carried out by the district police against illegal smuggling/ transportation of drugs and alcohol.

He also added that the district police is trying to identify and arrest Md Aslam, the co-conspirator in the gold smuggling case.