Mizoram police seize urea, areca nuts, liquor and methamphetamine in week-long crackdown

Mizoram Police seized large quantities of urea, dry areca nuts, foreign cigarettes, liquor and methamphetamine in separate operations across the state between October 12 and 18, officials said on October 19.

During a checking operation at Seling in Aizawl district on Sunday, police intercepted two trucks and recovered 300 bags of urea from each vehicle. The 600 bags, valued at around Rs 18 lakh, were seized and handed over to the Directorate of Agriculture for further action.

In Khawzawl district, police intercepted a truck near Tuisenphai on October 15 and recovered 170 bags containing 13,600 kg of dry areca nuts allegedly being smuggled. The vehicle and the consignment were handed over to the Customs Preventive Force in Champhai, officials said.

Saitual district police also seized 689 bags of urea allegedly being transported illegally in two trucks at Keifang on October 14.

In another operation, Serkhan police in Kolasib district intercepted a pickup vehicle and seized 140 cases of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) valued at Rs 7.89 lakh.

Two Assam residents, identified as Bebul Hussain and Babluy Hussain, were arrested in connection with the seizure, and a case was registered at Kawnpui police station, the statement said. Mizoram is a dry state, where the sale and consumption of alcohol are prohibited under state law, subject to applicable exceptions.

Meanwhile, a joint team of Khawzawl police and the Legal Metrology Department intercepted four vehicles near Lungvar on National Highway 6 on October 12. The vehicles were carrying 44,800 kg of dry areca nuts valued at an estimated Rs 1.12 crore and 71 cases of foreign cigarettes worth Rs 24.85 lakh, officials said.

In a separate operation on the same day, Bawngkawn police station seized 950 grams of methamphetamine, valued at Rs 75 lakh, and arrested two women, one of them a Myanmar national, in connection with the case.

Further investigation into the seizures and alleged illegal transportation of the consignments is underway, officials said.