Imphal: Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Wednesday questioned repeated narcotics seizures at Imphal airport following a series of drug recoveries in recent months.
Taking to micro-blogging site X, Singh cited the latest seizure on April 14, where a joint team of CISF, Assam Rifles and Manipur Airport Police recovered 6.74 kg of suspected brown sugar from the airport premises.
One Md. Sabir Ahamed from Bishnupur district was arrested in the operation.
He also referred to an earlier incident on February 27, when security forces intercepted 4.80 kg of heroin and arrested two passengers from Madhya Pradesh — Suresh and Vijay Singh — just before they boarded a flight.
“Is Imphal airport becoming the transit hub for narcotics?” Singh asked, expressing concern over the pattern of repeated drug seizures at the airport.
He further questioned how such large consignments were allegedly slipping through security checks and suggested the possibility of internal compromise, while stressing that security personnel involved in the seizures deserved credit for their actions.
“What is happening at Imphal Airport? How are such large drug consignments slipping through undetected? Are those working at the airport compromised?” he wrote.
Singh also called for an immediate, thorough and transparent investigation into the incidents and said that the recurring attempts to smuggle narcotics through the airport require serious attention from authorities.