Manipur: Nearly 60 bags of foreign liquor seized at Imphal Airport, 10 detained for probe

The Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) on Wednesday, August 5 claimed to have seized a large consignment of foreign liquor at Imphal International Airport and handed it over to the police along with 10 individuals who had arrived on an IndiGo flight from Delhi for further investigation.

According to DESAM, the operation was carried out following specific intelligence inputs indicating that a sizeable quantity of foreign liquor was being transported into the state by air. Acting on the information, members of the student organisation conducted a checking drive at the airport.

During the operation, DESAM claimed to have recovered nearly 60 bags allegedly containing foreign liquor from passengers who had arrived on the Delhi-Imphal flight.

Addressing reporters, DESAM Secretary in charge of Anti-Drug Abuse, Ningthoukhongjam Nobinchandra, said the seizure highlighted the ease with which liquor was allegedly being brought into Manipur despite the state's prevailing prohibition regime.

He said the 10 individuals informed DESAM members that the liquor was intended for personal consumption. However, Nobinchandra questioned the claim, alleging that the volume of the consignment indicated it was meant for commercial distribution rather than individual use.

DESAM subsequently handed over the seized consignment, the luggage and the 10 individuals to the police for further investigation and legal action.

Police have not yet issued an official statement on the seizure or confirmed the nature and quantity of the recovered liquor.