CANNABIS SEIZED

SHILLONG, MAY 14: A huge cache of high quality ganja (cannabis) worth up to nearly Rs 2 crore was seized from two trucks in separate places.

Acting on a tip off, sleuths of the Customs Headquarters, Preventive Unit, Shillong intercepted one truck bearing Punjab registration number near Diengpasoh Toll gate on Shillong Bye pass on Saturday.

A total of 784 kgs of ganja packed in 51 packets worth Rs 49.24 lakh was recovered from the truck, which was immediate seized, officials said.

They informed that a case was also registered under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.

According to the Customs, NER, Shillong deputy commissioner Isaac R Kharkongor, the consignment of cannabis was concealed in a specially made secret chamber made behind the driver’s cabin.

He said that the offending narcotics drug was loaded from a place near Agartala and was meant for delivery at Guwahati.

Two other number plates having Nagaland registration were also seized from the truck.

Initial investigation revealed that the truck had regularly been used to carry cannabis from Tripura using false number plates. The driver of the truck hailing from Assam has been arrested.

“Investigation has been launched to apprehend other persons involved in procurement, transportation and smuggling of the seized consignment of the drugs,” Kharkongor said.

In another case, the Hqrs. Preventive Unit, Shillong had also on May 11 seized 1500 kg of cannabis valued up to Rs 1.05 crore from a truck at Silchar which was coming from Imphal.

The driver of the truck has been arrested under NDPS Act, 1985 and has been produced before the Court at Silchar.

It may be mentioned here that Manipur and Tripura are the main source of cannabis in this region and organized gangs are actively involved in transporting the same to different parts of the country adopting various modus operandi.