Mizoram Police seize drugs, smuggled cigarettes worth Rs 6.84 crore; six held

Mizoram Police have seized narcotics and foreign-origin cigarettes worth Rs 6.84 crore and arrested six people in three separate operations across the state, an officer said on November 10.

The seizures were made in Champhai, Saitual and Aizawl districts, with two operations targeting drug trafficking and another aimed at curbing the smuggling of foreign-origin cigarettes.

In the first operation, police intercepted a van along the Zokhawthar-Melbuk road in Champhai district, near the Myanmar border, on Monday. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 3.275 kg of methamphetamine, estimated to be worth Rs 2.62 crore, and 145 grams of heroin valued at Rs 29 lakh.

The driver, Lalthanvula (65), and passenger Sangkimi (58), both residents of Dinthar Veng in Champhai, were arrested.

In a separate operation on Sunday, a special team of Saitual Police intercepted a car at Keifang and recovered 733 grams of heroin concealed in 58 soap cases. The seized contraband was valued at around Rs 1.47 crore.

Two men from Assam's Nagaon district, identified as Johirul Islam (27) and Guljar Hussein (19), were arrested in connection with the seizure.

Meanwhile, an Aizawl District Executive Force team intercepted two vehicles at Seling Naka on Monday night and seized 93 master cases of foreign-origin cigarettes worth an estimated Rs 2.47 crore.

The two people apprehended in the operation were identified as Singrothuami (51), a resident of Edenthar Veng in Aizawl, and Lalchamliana (30), from Zokhawthar.

Further investigations are underway in all three cases, police said.