5 kg opium seized, ferrier escapes

Imphal: Officers of the anti-smuggling unit of Customs Division, Imphal on Thursday recovered 5 kg opium from a vehicle at a road near N. Molhoiphai village, Imphal East district.

The officers, acting on specific information, at about 11 am, pursued a vehicle  (grey Mahindra Scorpio) bearing registration number NL 01H 9395 along Ukhrul-Imphal road. Before the vehicle could be intercepted for checking, the driver stopped the vehicle and ran away leaving the vehicle on the road, Imphal Customs Division assistant commissioner H.L. Songate said.

The driver was pursued but could not be nabbed. On searching the said vehicle, the customs officers found one packet containing the opium inside the vehicle.

A case has been registered by seizing the recovered goods along with the said vehicle under the relevant section of the NDPS Act, 1985. The Value of the seized opium is estimated to be around Rs.10,60,000.

Investigation to nab the offender(s) is going on, the assistant commissioner said.