Place of origin : Moreh; likely destination : Dimapur
Finer details of seizure of 9 Kgs of heroin spelt out, three held
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 26 2025: Altogether 9.101 Kgs of heroin (No 4) worth Rs 1.80 crore in the local market and Rs 18 crore in the international market were seized by police from Sekmai police station gate along Imphal-Dimapur highway on March 25, 2025 .

On receiving an input that a huge consignment of illegal drugs was being transported along the NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur highway) in two vehicles and the vehicles were proceeding toward Sekmai, a team of Sekmai police station led by Inspector A Dipak Meitei carried out intensified frisking and checking activities by stationing police teams at different locations of Sekmai.

Place of origin : Moreh; likely destination : Dimapur

During the frisking and checking exercise, one Bolero vehicle with Nagaland registration number and one Tata Harrier with Manipur registration number were stopped by police yesterday afternoon.

As the police signalled the vehicles to halt, the drivers looked nervous and suspicious, sources said.

On spot verification, the driver of the Bolero was identified as one KP Jacob s/o Panni of Maiba village, Maram, and the driver of the Tata Harrier was identified as M Joshua s/o Matesou of Laii village, Senapati.

M Joshua was accompanied by his wife, J Vasti.

On questioning, KP Jacob revealed that he was carrying some contraband substances concealed inside his Bolero and on the roof of the vehicle but M Joshua and his wife gave incoherent and inconsistent replies.

Soon the Sekmai police team informed the SDPO Lamphel and an Executive Magistrate to witness the search of the vehicles.

In the presence of the SDPO, the Executive Magistrate and a mobile forensic science team, the vehicles were thoroughly searched at around 2.30 pm.

At the instance of the accused persons, the rear spoiler of the Bolero vehicle was unscrewed and taken down.

As soon as the spoiler was removed, small (cut out) holes were seen on the rear upper body of the Bolero which were concealed by the spoiler.

Soap cases of different colours containing heroin number (No 4) powder were found concealed inside the holes, said the sources.

Further several soap cases containing No 4 powder were also found concealed in the roof of the vehicle and altogether 461 soap cases containing No 4 powder were recovered from the Bolero.

On interrogation, M Joshua, driver of the Tata Harrier, revealed that he and his wife were given the Tata Harrier by one person namely Ismail from his village, Laii, Senapati to accompany them towards Pallel.

M Joshua further disclosed that he and his wife were instructed by him (Ismail) to act as an advance team for the consignment of drugs carried by two Bolero vehicles and to inform him if there were any police checkpoints on the way.

Since, a huge quantity of contraband heroin powder was recovered from the Bolero driven by KP Jacob, he was arrested at 5.20 pm by observing formalities.

M Joshua and his wife J Vasti both admitted to have acted as an advance party of the two Bolero vehicles transporting contraband drugs.

As such, they were also arrested at 5.35 pm and 5.40 pm respectively observing due formalities in presence of a lady police officer.

M Joshua further revealed that the other Bolero might probably be located in and around Paomei Colony area in Imphal East.

Immediately, a team of Sekmai police led by Inspector A Dipak Meitei rushed to the spot and reportedly found the said vehicle parked in front of a gate at Emoinu Leirak, Paomei Colony.

The Bolero with Manipur registration number found at Paomei Colony was reportedly handed over by one Ng Vithai, a person staying in a rented room at the Colony.

On spot verification, Ng Vithai informed that the Bolero vehicle was brought by one person namely Ismail of Laii village, who parked the same in front of the gate of his rented room and handed him the key.

Ismail had told Vithai to look after the Bolero and that it will be taken back later.

Vithai reportedly added that Ismail being from his same village Laii, Senapati just let the Bolero park at the gate.

The spot where the said Bolero was found, was in a residential area.

In view of the present law and order situation, and high chance of unwanted mobs not only interfering with the due process of search/seizures and trying to forcibly destroy/burn the seized drugs as witnessed in the past, a team of Sekmai police station took the said Bolero vehicle to Sekmai police station for a thorough search in presence of mobile forensic team and an Executive Magistrate.

Police recovered 120 soap cases containing No 4 powder concealed inside the second Bolero.

The contraband drugs were promptly seized by observing necessary formalities.

On preliminary questioning of the arrested persons, it was disclosed that KP Jacob was contacted by one Lily Hmar from Dimapur for transportation of the illegal contraband.

He stated that he was delivered a Bolero in the early morning of March 25 by Lily through one unknown person at his house in Senapati.

He drove the said Bolero and went to Pallel where he met one Haopu of Moreh and exchanged that Bolero with another Bolero (NL-07CC-9905) containing the already concealed contraband.

KP Jacob added that he was promised a sum of Rs 20,000 when he reached Senapati.

As for the second Bolero, M Joshua disclosed that it was driven by one Ismail Key c/o AM Kasaso of Laii village and that they (he and his wife) acted as an advance team for Ismail.

He (Joshua) added that he was promised a sum of Rs 5000/- plus the fuel charge after the run.

The arrested persons along with the seized drugs items were handed over to Sekmai police station for further investigation and necessary legal action under ND&PS Act.

The arrested persons were produced before the Court of Special Judge, ND&PS Manipur today by a team of Sekmai police station and taken into police custody for 10 days for further investigation.