Cdos seize 136 kg opium, biggest haul in state
218 sacks of poppy straw seized from another truck bearing Rajasthan number
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 13 2022:
In one of the biggest drug (opium) hauls till date in the state, Imphal West district police commandos led by officer in-charge inspector P AchoUba seized 136.03 kg of opium worth around Rs 136 crore in the international market from a truck at Minuthong and arrested one person in this connection on Wednesday night.
The arrested person, who is the driver of the truck, has been identified as Saddhik Mohammad (44), son of Safi Mohammad of Indra Nagar, Rajasthan.
The seizure of opium on Wednesday broke the record of the biggest drug (opium) haul, which was also accomplished by Imphal West district commando when they seized 88.45 kg of opium on April 4, 2020 from Irang Part 1 Dhoreghari.
Addressing the media in this regard at Imphal West police SP conference hall, SP Ksh Shivakanta said that based on a specific information about transportation of narcotic items, a team of CDO IW led jointly by inspector P Achouba and Imphal West Cdo OC inspector Gunachandra Chanam, assisted by SI S Barun Singh under the command of Additional SP (Ops) IW M Amit Singh, rushed to Minuthong area and intercepted a Tata truck (RJI9GG-0025) while it was coming from North AOC side towards Minuthong near MMTA area at around 6.30 pm.
The truck which was carrying ply wood was searched and found one modified box type compartment at the bottom part of the vehicle which was suspected to be concealing some items.
After the iron cover of the modified box was removed, some items packed in brown cello tape were found.
On opening the packet, it was found to contain suspected opium.
Altogether, 131 packets of opium packed in brown cello tape were taken out from the modified compartment.
On further checking of the vehicle, another seven packets of opium were found concealed inside the front dash board of the vehicle.
In all, 136.03 kg of opium in eluding weight of wrapping cello tape, which would be worth around Rs 1.5 crore in the local market and Rs 10 crore in the international market, were recovered, the SP elaborated.
Further confiding that Saddhik Mohammad disclosed that the opium packets were handed over to him by one unknown person sent by his partner namely Om Prakash of Jodhpur, Rajasthan for transporting to Rajasthan, the SP said Saddhik was arrested and the items seized at 10:00 pm by observing all necessary formalities.
Further investigation is going on to find out other involved people, Shivakanta added.
On the other-hand, a combined team of Bishnupur police commandos and Moirang police station on Wednesday seized 218 sacks of suspected 'Poppy Straw', which are used in manufacturing drugs, weighing approximately 3250 kg from a 12-wheeler truck (R19GB-5912) along with arresting its driver identified as Banshi Lal (19), son of Bhaipa Ram of Jodhpur, Kaliyanpur district, Rajasthan.
According to police report, the joint team led by commando OC subedar Y Shaktishen Singh, while conducting regular frisking and checking operation at Ngangkhalawai near Electricity Office along Tiddim road at about 8:30 am Wednesday detained a 12-wheeler truck (R19GB-5912) going toward Imphal from Churachandpur loaded with sacks of pineapple fruit.
On thorough checking of the vehicle, the police team recovered 218 white sacks suspected to contain 'Poppy Straw' weighing 3250 kg approximately concealed be side the sacks of pineapple in the said truck.
On preliminary verification, the driver revealed that the sacks suspected to contain 'Poppy Straw' are to be delivered/transported to Rajasthan via Guwahati for further use of the substances.
The arrested person along with the seized items including the truck has been handed over to Moirang police station for taking up further necessary legal action.
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