KOHIMA, Apr 3 (EMN): In one of the biggest hauls of contraband substances, personnel of the Narcotic Cell Intelligence Branch of Nagaland Police stationed at Chumukedima Police Check Gate seized a consignment of heroin worth over Rs four crore. Two persons involved in the smuggling have been arrested.
Briefing media persons at Police Headquarters Kohima today, Narcotic Cell (Int) officials revealed that the seizure was made Sunday at around 6 pm while the personnel were conducting routine frisking of a Dimapur bound Imphal passenger bus. The contraband was recovered when checking the luggage of a passenger identified as Mohammad Sajad Khan.
The heroin, weighing a little over two-and-a-half kilograms, was recovered concealed in four packets in a suitcase where a separate compartment had been created on the outer cover to hide the contraband goods.
The recovery was made by Head Constable Omatsungba. While frisking the belongings of the accused, the Head Constable became suspicious as the case, which contained just a few items of clothing, was unusually heavy. Proper inspection of the suitcase led to the discovery of the hidden compartments on the outer cover.
On interrogation, the accused revealed that he was supposed to deliver the goods to another person in Dimapur. Following this, Narcotic Cell personnel laid a trap and managed to nab the second person, identified as Riyajuddin, from Blue Hill Station area at around 8 pm. The four-member Narcotic Cell team which made the second arrest was led by SI Imtikumba.
It has been learnt that the second person was to deliver the contraband goods at Sultan Hotel in Guwahati. Besides the Rs 5000 each paid beforehand for journey expenses, the two accused were reportedly supposed to receive Rs 15,000 each on delivery of the goods at Guwahati. The accused persons are also reported to have confessed that they have already delivered two such consignments earlier.
The seizure is one the biggest in the recent past and would be worth around Rs 4.25 crore in the international market, informed sources said.
The suitcase was broken open in front of the media and IGP (Int) T. Sangtam at Police Headquarters Narcotic Cell, Kohima, this afternoon.