One of the biggest illegal hauls have been reported in Nagaland where Police seized smuggled gold and narcotics substances worth around Rs. 25 crores on Monday from various parts of Nagaland's Kohima and arrested 9 people in connection to it.
Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sandeep Tamgadge said that the seizures and arrests were made from different locations of Kohima district in the last 48 hours while addressing a press conference in Nagaland along with officials of the state CID and narcotics cell.
According to reports, sleuths of the Nagaland Police's narcotic cell intercepted a vehicle on the Kohima-Imphal National Highway on Sunday, which resulted in the recovery of over 48 kg smuggled gold, estimated to be valued at Rs 22.78 crore.
The gold bars were hidden inside the cover of the gear lever of the vehicle, were packed neatly in 29 packets, said Police sources.
The Police have seized the smuggled gold and the motor vehicle SUV carrying it. Two persons identified as Saurabh Singh and Pawan Kumar, both residents of Uttar Pradesh, have been detained for further questioning.
The ADGP has stated that a case has been registered and an investigation is in progress.
The ADGP further added that Prima facie evidence shows that the gold was smuggled from Manipur and was in transit so the investigation process may involve multiple states.
As per police investigation reports, it was found that the packets were bound for Agra.
The police officer also added that the seized gold would be deposited at the police 'malkhana' (godown) for now, and on completion of the investigation, it would be handed over to the court of law.
In another drug haul, Tamgadge said police personnel at a narcotic checkpoint at Khuzama seized 12 kg of illegal contraband, suspected to be opium, wrapped in 12 packets, weighing approximately one kilogram each.
According to sources, two persons, identified as Tularam Sarki and Sagar Ghali, both residents of Manipur, have been arrested for possessing the contraband.
Further, the ADGP said, the highway patrol unit of the Kohima Police intercepted an Assam-registered vehicle on NH-29 on Monday morning and recovered 532 gm of contraband, suspected to be heroin, packed in 42 soap cases. Four persons were apprehended from the vehicle.
On October 2, the ADGP said that the narcotic cell seized illegal contraband, also suspected to be heroin, packed in 46 soap cases.
A Manipur resident, Md. Riyajuddin, who was traveling in a vehicle bearing West Bengal's registration number, has been taken into custody.
The value of the seized opium and heroin is estimated to be approximately Rs 3 crore in the international market, stated reports.
