Drugs valued at Rs 4.8 crore seized in Tripura, 2 held

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Agartala, Aug 31 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, the Assam Rifles in a joint operation with the Customs department seized 30,000 Methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 4.8 crore and arrested two drug peddlers from the outskirts of Agartala, officials said on Saturday.

Sources in the Assam Rifles said that acting on a tip-off, the paramilitary troopers along with Customs officials intercepted a Maruti car on Friday night and arrested two drug peddlers from Jogendra Nagar on the outskirts of Agartala in West Tripura district.

The subsequent search of the vehicle led to the seizure of 30,000 Methamphetamine tablets valued at Rs 4.8 crore.

An Assam Rifles spokesperson said that the seized contraband, the two accused, and the vehicle have been handed over to Tripura Police for further investigation and legal proceedings.

A police officers quoting the accused said that the drugs were smuggled in from Myanmar and were meant to be sent to Bangladesh and other states of India.

The highly-addictive Methamphetamine tablets, also known as Yaba pills or party tablets, contain a mix of methamphetamine and caffeine and are largely misused as high-dosage drugs in Bangladesh and its neighbouring countries, besides India.

Tripura shares 856 km border with Bangladesh and 510 km unfenced border with Myanmar.

In July, Tripura Police had intercepted a vehicle coming from neighbouring Assam and recovered 408 grams of heroin valued at Rs 4 crore.

According to the police, the drugs, which were coming from Myanmar via neighbouring Mizoram, were being taken to Sonamura in Tripura's Sipahijala district for transportation to Bangladesh.

Two drug peddlers -- identified as Sohel Miah and Dilwar Hussain, both residents of Sonamura -- who were travelling in the vehicle were arrested.

--IANS

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