Aizawl: Mizoram Police have seized heroin, methamphetamine, suspected wildlife contraband, and illegally imported areca nuts worth over Rs 4 crore and arrested six persons, including two Myanmar nationals, in a series of coordinated operations across the state over the past four days, police said in a statement on Thursday.
The largest seizure was made by the Champhai Police Special Task Force, which intercepted a Bolero Maxx on the night of July 7 and recovered about 210 kg of dehydrated manta ray (Mobula) gill plates concealed inside nine bags, the statement said.
The consignment, valued at around Rs 2.30 crore in the international black market, is believed to be one of the biggest wildlife-related seizures ever made in Mizoram, it said.
The occupants of the vehicle, Rajiv Hussein Laskar (26) and Jinuk Uddin Laskar (30), both residents of Silchar in Assam, were arrested, it added.
As the recovered items were suspected to have come from species protected under wildlife laws, the seized contraband, the vehicle, and the two accused have been handed over to the Divisional Forest Officer, Champhai Forest Division, for scientific examination and further legal action under the relevant provisions of law, the statement said.
In another major operation, a joint team of the Aizawl District Special Branch (DSB) and the Assam Rifles seized 1.955 kg of methamphetamine worth around Rs 1.60 crore from the possession of Marcus Lalvenpuia (19) of Luimawi village in Mamit district at Aizawl’s Lawipu area on Monday.
A special team of Saitual Police, on Wednesday, intercepted a Tata truck during routine checking at the Kualmawi check gate after its driver attempted to flee.
Police arrested Fulchand Ali Mondal (35), a resident of Dhubri district in Assam, and recovered 102 grams of heroin worth Rs 20.4 lakh concealed inside nine soap cases in the vehicle.
Police also registered two separate heroin cases involving passengers travelling from the India-Myanmar border.
On July 7, officers intercepted a Tata Sumo travelling from Zokhawthar in Champhai district to Aizawl and recovered 26 grams of heroin concealed inside a pot kept beneath the rear seat.
Lalrinchhana (20), a resident of Khawmawi in Myanmar’s Chin State, was arrested for possessing the contraband, the statement said.
A day earlier, Zokhawthar Police intercepted a maxicab and seized 48 grams of heroin hidden inside a sling bag carried by a Myanmar national identified as Thuanmawia (42) from Tshambhari village in Falam district.
In a separate anti-smuggling operation on July 5, personnel at the Champhai Khankawn police check gate intercepted a tank lorry and seized 2,960 kg of dry areca nuts worth Rs 10.36 lakh, suspected to have been illegally imported from Myanmar, police said.
As the driver failed to produce valid transport documents, the consignment and the vehicle were handed over to the Customs Preventive Force, Champhai, for further investigation, they added.