Three smugglers were arrested and heroin worth Rs 14 crores were seized from their possession in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya on Friday.

According to reports, acting on a tip-off, the Ri-Bhoi Police nabbed the trio while they were travelling to Shillong from Manipur earlier today.

Heroin weighing 2 kgs concealed in 158 soap boxes was seized during the checking of the bus on a highway near Mandarin-Saiden village.

The seized heroin has a market value worth Rs 14 crores.  

The arrested smugglers have been identified as Rashijuddin, Saddam Hussain and Iqbal Hussain, all residents of Bishnupur district in Manipur.

Meanwhile, state Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma congratulated the Ri-Bhoi Police for the massive drug haul.

Taking to twitter, he wrote, “@RibhoiPolice diligently followed a tip off & nabbed 3 notorious traffickers from Manipur in the wee hours today & seized- -158 boxed high grade Heroin worth ₹14 Crore originated from Manipur & consigned to Shillong -1bus -3 mobiles.”

He further tweeted, ''Hope this will further ignite the performance of cops on the frontline.”