Assam police nabs drug kingpin from Mizoram along Indo-Myanmar border 

SILCHAR: In a major breakthrough, Karimganj police arrested a suspected drug kingpin from Mizoram along the Indo-Myanmar international border on Friday.

Lalpiang Naurah (40), who was arrested from a place in Aizawl, was involved in a case related to the seizure of drugs in Karimganj district in October this year. He was apprehended and brought to Karimganj on Saturday.

On October 10, around 9.47 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 47 crore were seized during a joint operation by police and Border Security Force (BSF) from a truck near the Karimganj railway station.

As per reports, the truck was on its way to Tripura from Mizoram. Driver Mohib Uddin, who hails from Kanaibazar in Patharkandi in Karimganj district, was arrested and an FIR was lodged by the BSF on the matter. Subsequently, a case was registered and a probe was initiated by the Karimganj police.

Police, after quizzing Mohib, found out the owner of the drug consignment Emad Uddin Tapadar, a resident of Chargola in Karimganj district, and arrested him.

Emad revealed various details relating to the smuggling of drugs in the Barak Valley from Mizoram during interrogation by police. A few more persons were also apprehended later in connection with the case.

Eventually, a deputy superintendent of police in Karimganj was handed over the case and the investigation was intensified to dismantle the clandestine trade of illegal drugs from Mizoram to this part of the state, sources said.

Further probe into the case found that Lalpiang Naurah was involved in the smuggling of heroin, which was seized in Karimganj on October 10. The Karimganj police thereafter communicated with the Mizoram police following which several operations were conducted in Aizawl and at different locations of Mizoram to track down Lalpiang Naurah.

On Friday, he was apprehended from an area in Aizawl and was brought to Karimganj on Saturday.

During the investigation, it was found that Lalpiang Naurah hails from Myanmar and he got Indian citizenship in 2010. With Lalpiang’s arrest, many other drug kingpins of Mizoram and Barak Valley are expected to be nabbed by police, the sources added.

Gitartha Dev Sarma, Deputy superintendent of police in Karimganj district, said, “The Karimganj district police had seized 9kg of heroin and arrested five persons in October this year and the arrest of Lalpiang is related to that.”

He added, “In connection with that case, we have also arrested a guide from Mizoram. After investigation, we found that the drugs came from Myanmar. Two days ago a police team led by DSP (DSB) James Songate had gone to Mizoram and arrested Lalpiang Naurah from a location along the Indo-Myanmar border with the help of Champhai police. We come to know that the arrested person was in touch with a Mizo lady who is also involved in the illegal drug trade from Myanmar to India. We also came to know that the arrested person was originally a Myanmar national and he got Indian citizenship in 2010.”

The police official further said an investigation is underway into the matter and that they will also inform central agencies about the case.

Also read | Meghalaya govt files defamation case against TMC’s Saket Gokhale