WY tablets worth Rs 410 crore seized in two separate crackdowns against illicit drugs in Manipur
Newmai News Ntwork
Imphal | August 24
Despite crackdowns against illicit drugs by government agencies in Manipur, trafficking of contraband goods goes undeterred and is on upward trend in Manipur.
In the latest crackdown against the illicit drugs, Manipur police seized 40 lakh tablets of suspected WY (World is Yours) on Friday night. The drugs are valued around Rs 400 crore in the international market.
Thoubal district police has seized the 40 lakh tablets of suspected WY which they put the value in the international market at Rs 400 crore. The police were assisted by local youth clubs and women bodies in the seizure of the contraband item along with three persons.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Thoubal district SP, Dr S Ibomcha Singh said that the contraband item was seized by a combined team of the district police and two additional teams of police commandos with the assistance of members of Phoudel Keirambi Youth Club, Phoudel Keirambi and Panthoibi Women Welfare Association and Phoudel Keirambi.
The drugs were found carrying in a Tata 207 DI vehicle which was intercepted by the security forces along with the members of the local youth club and women organisations, the police officer said. He added that they detained the vehicle which was found in a very suspicious manner on the inter-village road (IVR) at Phoudel Keirambi Mathak Leikai.
The police officer then said that the vehicle along with the driver later identified as Mohammad Hussain (35), son of Zakir Hussain of Thoubal Wangkhem Muslim Leikai was brought to Thoubal police station for proper verification. Upon checking, the police detected 40 lakh of suspected WY drugs weighing around 400 kg. The contraband items were found carrying concealed inside the carpet rolls. Twenty packets each of the contraband items were found concealed in neatly prepared grooves inside the rolled carpet and each packet was found containing 2000 WY tablets.
In the follow up action following the disclosure made by the driver, the police team rushed to Imphal Airport where a Myanmar national identified as Kyaw Kyaw Naing alias Abdul Rahim (33), of Kawhmu village of Moha area of Rangoon was arrested.
The police officer alleged that the arrested Myanmar national is an international drug smuggler while claiming seizure of Rs 60,000 (in Indian currency), 15 numbers of 100 domination US dollars, one 500 Kyat, two mobile phone handsets, passport and other documents from the man.
“He is an international drug lord who has been actively involved in smuggling contraband substances in Myanmar, India and Bangladesh,” the police fficer claimed.
Two more persons identified as Mohammad Ayub Khan (41), son of late Md Azizur Rahaman of Yairipok Wangkhem and Md Abdul Razak (35), son of Md Abdul Halim of Yairipok Tulihal were also arrested in further follow up action, the police officer informed. The two men who were arrested later are facilitators in the transport of the narcotic substance, the police officer added.
The whole operation which led to the one of the biggest seizures of suspected WY tablets in the Northeast India went off successfully as planned, including the follow up arrests under the supervision of inspector general of police (Zone-1) Clay Khongsai, the police officer said. He added that a case has been taken up at Thoubal police station in connection with the seizures of the contraband narcotic substances.
Earlier in the day, anti-smuggling unit of Customs Division, Imphal has arrested a person with a huge quantity of WY (World is Yours) tablets valued over Rs 10 crore in the international market.
The alleged drug peddler is Md Hefajuddin (23), son of Riyajuddin of Lilong Haoreibi under Lilong police station of Thoubal district.
