Ex-IM cadre among 3 held with drugs at Pallel
Source: The Sangai Express

Thoubal, March 10 2013 : Manipur police commandos on Sunday seized contraband drugs from three persons including a former cadre of the NSCN (IM) at Thoubal district's Pallel area enroute to the border town of Moreh.

The latest seizure comes close on the heels of the same cops seizing pseudoephedrine content drugs worth about Rs 25 crore from six persons including defence spokesman Col Ajay Chowdhry at the same area even as hordes of civil bodies and anti-drug organizations continue to denounce the growing trend of trafficking drugs in Manipur.

The commandos, during a raid today morning, seized 160 Spasmo Proxyvon (SP) tablets, three grams of heroin, two syringes and a camouflage uniform with three-star shoulder tags from the three including a tribal youth at Pallel town.

Interestingly the tribal youth from whom the camouflage uniform and the heroin powder were recovered, claimed himself as a self-styled captain of a Naga rebel group, police sources said.

The three held persons along with the seized drugs

The arrested persons have been identified as ex-NSCN-IM cadre PR Samson Chothe (38), Wahengbam Deepak (38) and Yumnam Suresh (27), all belonging to Pallel Bazar.

Following the February 24 drug seizure, police have been on alert and all suspicious vehicles are thoroughly checked at Pallel check post, said a police source.

The police are verifying the antecedents of the tribal youth, the sources said adding that they have been booked under the provisions of the Narcotic Substances and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

On Saturday morning, Assam Rifles soldiers and Lilong police personnel carried out a special operation at Lilong area in the same district and seized over 8000 SP and Nitrosun-10 tablets worth over Rs 30 lakh , two mobile phones and the pistol from the house of one Md Wahidur Rahaman (24) at Lilong Kalikhong village.

Kakching police on Friday formally arrested Colonel Ajay Chowdhry and six others including Seikholen Haokip (35), son of a Congress MLA after seeking permission from the Special court (NDPS) at Imphal to quiz them further till Tuesday.

The State Cabinet has already decided to hand over the February 24 drug haul case to the CBI even as a large number of civil bodies and anti-drug organizations continue to protest against the growing drug menace gripping the state.