Mizoram: Assam Rifles seizes heroin worth Rs 1.13 crore in east Mizoram

Aizawl: Assam Rifles arrested three persons from Assam possessing 151.7 grams of heroin worth Rs. 1.13 crore across the Indo-Myanmar border in east Mizoram's Champhai district, Assam Rifles said in a statement on Wednesday.

The authority identified the accused as Rashid Ahmed (28), Imran Khan (27), and Kamrul Islam Laskar (27), all hailed from Assam, the statement said. 

Acting on specific inputs, Assam Rifles personnel set up a mobile check post at an Indo-Myanmar border crossing point in Zokhawthar village in Champhai district on March 24 and intercepted a Maruti  S-Presso car bearing Assam registration numbers, it said. 

On thorough checking of the vehicle, security forces recovered 12 packets of heroin weighing 151.7 grams from the possession of the three accused, it stated.

The arrested individuals concealed the seized heroin inside a pillow cover. The team of Assam Rifles also seized the vehicles used for transporting the contraband worth Rs. 1.13 crore.

Assam Rifles handed the three accused along with the seized drug and vehicle over to state excise and narcotics department in Champhai for further investigation and legal proceedings, the statement added. 

Earlier on March 14, Mizoram police posted at Zokhawthar village along the India-Myanmar border also seized 4.722 kilograms of heroin valued at over Rs 1.41 crore in the local market

Authority believed the seizure to be the largest heroin seizure in Mizoram this year, police said. 

Initially, police also arrested six persons, including a minor who were allegedly involved in trafficking the drug. 

Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of two more persons, including a prominent businessman and franchisees of First Cry, a multinational retail company, in Aizawl for their alleged involvement in the trafficking of the seized heroin on March 15, police added.