One man was arrested and 135.03 kg opium worth Rs 10 crore in the international market seized from his possession near Minuthong in Imphal West during a major operation conducted as a part of War on Drugs on Tuesday, police sources said.
The arrested person was identified as one Saddhik Mohammad, 44, son of Safi Mohammad of Indra Nagar, Jodhpur, Sangria Fanta, Sangariya Jodhpur, Rajasthan-342013, Imphal West district police said.
Superintendent of Police, Imphal West, Ksh Shivakanta Singh told mediapersons on Wednesday that based on a tipoff, a team of district commando unit rushed to Minuthong area and intercepted a truck bearing registration number RJ19GG-0025 which was coming from North AOC towards Minuthong, near MMTA area at around 6.30 pm,
The police team was led by its officer-in-charge, inspector P Achouba Meeitei; inspector Gunachandra Chanam assisted by sub-inspector S Barun Singh under the command of additional superintendent of police (Ops) M Amit Singh and under the overall supervision of SP Imphal West, the SP said.
During the search conducted in the truck, which was carrying plywood, some items were found concealed in one modified box type compartment on the bottom body of the vehicle. When the iron cover of the modified compartment was removed, some items packed in brown cello tape were found, he said. On opening the packets, suspected opiums were detected, he added.
Altogether 131 similar packets containing opium were detected from the modified box compartment. On further checking of the vehicle, another seven similar type of packets were found concealed inside the front dashboard of the same vehicle, he added.
On questioning, Saddhik disclosed that the packets were handed over to him by an unknown person who was sent by his partner Om Prakash of Jodhpur, Rajasthan to transport them to Rajasthan, said the police official.
The police team seized a total of 138 packets suspected opium weighing a total of around 136.03 kg including the weight of the wrapping cello tape; two mobile phones; one Samsung bluetooth earpiece; one ICICI debit card; sum of Rs 1,040 and registration card of the truck including the truck. The opium seized is worth Rs 10 crore in the international market and Rs 1.5 crore in the local market, police said.
The arrest took place around 9:10 pm and recovered items were seized by observing all necessary formalities, the police said.
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