Meghalaya Police Bust Interstate Drug Ring, Seize ₹51 Crore in Narcotics

In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, Meghalaya Police seized narcotics worth over ₹51 crore and arrested two individuals from Mizoram, exposing an interstate drug syndicate.

The Meghalaya Police seized drugs worth over ₹51 crore, the biggest haul of narcotics in the state so far, in East Jaintia Hills district and arrested two Mizoram-based persons in this connection, a senior officer said on Saturday.

The seizure was made during a coordinated naka-checking conducted by the police and Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) personnel in the Ratacherra area on Friday, he said.

During the operation, a vehicle with three persons, including the driver, on board was intercepted and searched in accordance with due legal procedures.

Upon checking, 19 plastic soap cases, containing suspected heroin weighing 203.7 grams, were recovered from the possession of one of the three persons, the officer said.

The search of the vehicle led to the recovery of a blue-coloured trolley bag belonging to another occupant of the vehicle.

Suspected crystal meth (methamphetamine) tablets weighing 10.145 kilograms were found in the bag, the police officer said.

'Meth' tablets are banned in India.

Two of the three occupants of the vehicle were arrested, and a preliminary investigation suggested that they are part of an interstate and cross-border drug trafficking syndicate, the officer said.

Details of the Drug Seizure

"The total value of the seized contraband is estimated to be around ₹51.13 crore", ANTF chief Vikash Kumar told PTI.

The arrested persons hail from Mizoram, he said.

A case has been registered at the ANTF police station, and an investigation is underway to establish the forward and backward linkages related to the seizure, the officer added.