AR seizes Rs 4.94 Cr worth betel nuts, timber
Source: The Sangai Express
Kamjong, January 31 2020:
Shangshak Battalion of 10 Sector Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (South), based on a consistent intelligence input about illegal smuggling of betel nuts and timber along the Indo-Myanmar border, launched an operation in the border villages of Makan, Wanglee and Namlee at Kamjong district on January 28.Troops of Assam Rifles reached the site early and found that the smugglers had fled the area leaving the huge dumps of contraband items unattended, said PRO, IGAR.
A total of 1353 bags of betel nuts (weighing approximately 82 Tonnes) with a market value worth Rs 2.44 crore and a total of 491 logs of different categories of timber worth approximately Rs 2.5 crore were seized.
It appears that the recent crackdown by Assam Rifles and various Government agencies on illegal activities, which were earlier being carried out through NH-102 (Imphal-Moreh axis), had made the smugglers and peddlers desperate to find alternate routes of smuggling, noted the statement.
In this instance, it is evident that the illegal timber and betel nuts were smuggled from Myanmar into Namlee, a border village and further brought to Wanglee and Makan villages, it stated.
These items had been dumped illegally at these villages over a period of time by virtue of its remoteness and accessibility from the Kabaw valley.
These items are then further moved into Indian markets through Dimapur and to other parts of country.
However, the constant vigil by Assam Rifles in the area have prevented these smuggling activities in the border areas, added the statemeat It is clearly evident from these recoveries that Free Move Regime (FMR) is being constantly exploited and abused by smugglers while the absence of civil administration in these areas further provides a free run for such activities.
Wanglee village is remotely accessible within Indian territory and is located far away from the nearest Forest Range Office at Kasom Khullen and the Customs Department Office at Imphal.