Imphal: A joint team of Borobekra police station, the 38th Battalion of Assam Rifles, and A/20 CRPF seized over 15 kg of ‘suspected’ contraband drugs from a passenger engine boat on the Barak River near Chaudharykhal village in Jiribam district.
Officials confirmed this on Sunday.
The operation was carried out on Saturday around 6:30 pm during routine foot patrolling and area domination duties between Savomphai and Chaudharykhal about 4 km south of the police station. The team conducted random frisking and checking of passenger engine boats navigating the Barak river.
At approximately 7:30 pm, one such boat traveling from the Tipaimukh side toward Jirimukh was intercepted near the riverbank. The officers found one occupant and the sailor onboard. The boat was carrying three plastic gunny bags and five packets wrapped in black plastic.
“The occupant confessed that the bags and packets contained drugs, and that he was transporting them from Mizoram via Tipaimukh to Hmarkhulien in Cachar district, Assam. He identified himself as Mihir Roy, 26, son of Kalipot Roy, a resident of Kanakpur Part-II, Samananda Lane, Silchar, Assam,” said the district police.
Due to the isolated location and the lack of civilian witnesses, along with the prevailing law and order situation, the team transported the seized items and the suspect to the 38th Battalion Assam Rifles base at Kadamtala for further proceedings, said a senior police officer.
“The three gunny bags contained a total of 616 soap cases, each holding brown powder suspected to be brown sugar, collectively weighing 10.096 kg.”
The five black plastic-wrapped packets were found to contain 250 plastic pouches filled with small orange tablets marked with “R,” also suspected to be narcotics. The total weight of these tablets, including packaging, was 5.280 kg.
The drugs were formally seized, and the accused was arrested and handed over to Borobekra police station.
A case has been registered under the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway, police said.
