SHILLONG, June 28 - In one of the biggest drugs haul in the North East, the Customs Department seized heroin and amphetamine tablets worth over Rs 3 crore here today.
Based on information, the sleuths of the Customs Department swooped into a city hotel in Police Bazaar area here this afternoon and made the seizure. The Customs officials also detained three persons, including a woman, together with the drugs and also a pistol. Those arrested are now being interrogated.
Customs Deputy Commissioner Customs (Preventive) Issac Kharkongor said, �This is one of the biggest drugs haul in the region. The arrested persons are from outside the State.�
The seized drugs included 1 kilogram of heroin and 20,000 amphetamine tablets. �The heroin is 100 per cent pure and would be worth over Rs 1 crore in the international market,� Kharkongor said.
The amphetamine tablets were packed in 200 sachets. Each of the packets contained around 1,000 tablets. �These tablets are in huge demand throughout the country and each cost about Rs 1,000,� Kharkongor said.
Informing about the smuggling route, he said, the drugs were probably sneaked into the country from Myanmar. �The drugs were probably manufactured in Thailand. It was sneaked into Myanmar and then smuggled to Manipur, Nagaland and then here,� the Deputy Commissioner said.
He further added, the drugs were meant to be sold to retailers in the State Capital here. �There seems to be a huge market in Shillong,� he added.
The three drug dealers are wholesalers and the Customs officials believe that are a whole lot of retailers in the State Capital whom they would have sold the consignment.
After the interrogation, the detained persons would be handed over to the police and produced before the Court.
