Heroin worth Rs 1.1cr seized in Manipur, one smuggler arrested

Imphal: In a major blow to narcotics smuggling in the region, an anti-drug smuggling team from the Manipur police launched an operation, resulting in the arrest of an alleged drug smuggler and seizure of contraband items.

A joint team from the Narcotic Affairs and Border Police and Imphal West district police laid a trap by launching an operation at a strategic location of the Assam Oil Company area in the northern part of Imphal city at around 7 am on Saturday.

The police reported that the operation successfully wound up with the arrest of an alleged drug smuggler and the seizure of 1.013 kg of Heroin (drug) in brown color and four vials containing 0.93 grams of Heroin in white.

The confiscated drug is worth around Rs 1.1 crore in the regional clandestine drug trade. The operation was the first one to have arrested a drug smuggler with two different colors of heroin powder items seized in the state.

The police said that the arrested person was later identified as Kamal Hussain (44) from the North AOC area under Imphal Police Station, Imphal West District.

Apart from contraband drugs, a mobile phone, and some identity documents were also recovered from his possession. The report added that the arrested person, along with the seized items, was handed over to the Imphal police station for taking legal proceedings under relevant sections of the law.

According to a senior police officer who dealt with drug smuggling cases, heroin is a white or brown powder or a black, sticky substance.

It's an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance synthesized from opium extracted from the seedpod of the opium poppy plant (papavera somniferum).