IMPHAL: Three alleged drug smugglers in Manipur including a teenager were arrested on charge of unauthorized possession of opium.
The opium consignment was seized in a joint drive carried out by the Manipur police and Assam Rifles at Habobungphai Lungther junction under the Nongpok Semai police station in Manipur’s Thoubal district on Sunday.
2.5 kgs of opium, two mobile handsets, and one motorbike have been recovered from them, the Manipur police said.
Based on intelligent input that some smugglers are passing through from Senapati district to Ukhrul via Haobungphai Lungther junction under the Nongpoksekmai police station, a joint team of the commandos of the Thoubal police and 16 Assam Rifles personnel overpowered the suspected smugglers at around 11.30 am on Sunday.
The contraband items were packed in five polythene bags, the Manipur police said.
From their preliminary interrogations, the Manipur police came to know that the contraband items would be smuggled from Senapati district to Ukhrul.
The arrested persons have been identified as Leothang Waiphei, 25, and Namkhosung Khongsai, 33 both of Sontak Saizang village in Senapati district of Manipur and Somethang Zimik, 18, of Phungsam village Ukhrul district.
The arrested persons along with the seized items have been handed over to the Nongpoksekmai police station for further legal proceedings, the Manipur police added.