Farmers seize illegal Burmese arecanut hidden inside a tank lorry in Mizoram

Smuggling of illegal Burmese supari hidden in oil tankers has become norm.  War between arecanut smugglers and local arecanut farmers continues as local arecanut farmers from Bilkhawthlir village seize illegal Burmese areca nuts hiding inside an empty tanker yesterday and burn them.

A total of 150 bags of areca nuts were found hiding inside three compartments of an empty tanker.

On suspicion, the local farmers stopped the tanker bound for Assam, thoroughly checked, and found that bags of smuggled arecanuts are stuffed inside the Indian Oil Tanker. They cut through the compartment using an electric grinder. A total of 150 bags are taken out, and the angry farmers burn 140 bags immediately and reserve 10 bags for evidence.

The tanker, registration no. MZ-01/C-4265, and its non-Mizo driver were turned over to the police by the locals. And surprisingly, another five other registration numbers are found inside the tanker.

In another similar incident, Cachar police on December 30 had seized 2000 kg of Burmese Supari which was illegally transported from Mizoram to Assam at Lailapur checkpost near Assam Mizoram border. The banned contraband was found sealed inside the oil tanker of the vehicle. According to reports the Burmese Supari was recovered from the vehicle bearing registration number AS-28-AC-0225.

Police said that they have arrested the driver of the vehicle and has been identified as Saabul Uddin. Police said that they are questioning the apprehended driver and further investigation is on. 

Earlier, Lailapur Police on December 7 seized a truck loaded with Burmese Supari in Dhalai. The truck which was travelling to Assam from Mizoram was intercepted during a Naka check near Lailapur police check gate.

On checking around 290 sacks of illegal Burmese Supari was seized from the truck. The truck bearing registration number AS 01 LC 4164 was also seized during the process.