Aizawl: Officials of the Mizoram excise & narcotics department, in a joint operation with the Assam Rifles and the central anti-drug squad (CADS) of the Central Young Mizo Association (YMA), seized 740 grams of heroin and arrested nine people in the early hours of Friday, department spokesperson Peter Zohmingthanga said.Zohmingthanga said the contraband was being clandestinely transported from Manipur towards Aizawl and was intercepted at New Vervek village in Aizawl district, where nine persons — all from Pherzawl district, Manipur — were arrested in connection with the seizure.The operation was carried out at around 2:30 am on Friday.The arrested persons were identified as Lalramsiem (43), Andrew (30), Lalchuailou (49), Joseph (19), Lalrinchhan (36), Lalmalsawm (37) — all residents of Lungthulien village, Lalthlankung Hmar (42) of Khiangbawr village, John Barnard (34) of Sihpuikawn, and Lalneihlim (18) of Damdei village, all in Pherzawl district, Manipur.A car, which had not yet been registered and was used to transport the contraband, was also seized.The accused have been booked under Section 21(c) of the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and produced before the Special Court (NDPS Act), Aizawl district, on Friday.Enforcement agencies said a large number of drug traffickers and “mules” have shifted their operations from Mizoram’s Champhai district, bordering Myanmar, to a new route via Manipur following the launch of the Mizoram govt’s massive anti-drug crackdown ‘Operation Jericho’ on Sept 1 last year.Since Dec last year, authorities have seized large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine being smuggled through the Mizoram-Manipur border.
