Guwahati: Three alleged drug smugglers have been arrested and 5 kg of opium seized during a joint operation by security forces and police near the Manipur-Assam border.
The operation was carried out in the early hours of 29th June following specific intelligence inputs regarding the movement of narcotics along National Highway-37 in Manipur's Jiribam district.
A joint team comprising central security forces, Jiribam Police and the Central Reserve Police Force intercepted a silver-grey Hyundai i20 bearing registration number GJ-27 BL-0847 at Leingangpokpi village. During a search of the vehicle, officials recovered 5 kg of opium along with Rs 50,000 in cash.
Two passengers of the vehicle, identified as Dhanraj Prajapat aged 46 and Buddha Ram aged 44, both residents of Rajasthan, were arrested at the scene.
Based on information obtained during the initial investigation and interrogation, police later arrested a third suspect during a follow-up raid at Thanga Khunjem Leikai in Bishnupur district. The three accused, along with the seized opium, cash and the vehicle, have been handed over to the concerned police station for further legal proceedings.
Police have registered a case and launched a detailed investigation to trace the source of the seized narcotics and identify other people allegedly linked to the inter-state drug trafficking network.