The five Manipur police commando personnel, who were arrested along with large quantities of suspected Heroin Number 4 powder and WY(World is Yours) tablets, have been put under suspension and a departmental enquiry has been initiated against them, director general of police (DGP) P Doungel said on Wednesday.
DGP Doungel told reporters that hectic investigation is on in connection with the incident and the state police department has been considering taking up stringent action against the five commando personnel.
On Monday, teams of the Kakching district police detected and seized 1.336 kg of suspected Heroin Number 4 powder and 9.151 kg of suspected WY tablets from a Maruti Gypsy of a team of Commando Unit, Kakching district which was posted in Moreh at Kuraopokpi near St Joseph English School on National Highway 102.
The five police commando personnel were remanded to police custody till January 27 after they were produced before the court of chief judicial magistrate in Thoubal district.
On the drive against contraband narcotic drugs in the state, DGP Doungel said, from 2017 till January 17, 2023, 238.72 Kg of Heroin (No 4) powder, 7,932.74 kg of ganja, 1,685.15 kg of opium, 502.44 kg of Spasmo Proxyvon capsule, 76,092 pieces of Nitrosun-10 tablets, 1,688.96 kg of WY(World is Yours) tablets, 83,290 bottles of cough syrup, 943.41 kg of brown sugar, 181.49 kg of pseudo-ephedrine and 30,800 pieces of alphavin tablets were seized.
Further, 3,750 kg of poppy straw and seven bags (16 Kg capacity) of poppy seeds were also seized during the last five years, the DGP said.
{{/usCountry}}Further, 3,750 kg of poppy straw and seven bags (16 Kg capacity) of poppy seeds were also seized during the last five years, the DGP said.
{{/usCountry}}During the same period, the state police department along with the forest department and locals have also destroyed poppy plantations in an area of around 15,642 acres of which 777 acres were destroyed this year.
The DGP said that the area of poppy plants destruction will increase as the destruction work continues.
He also mentioned that the state authority has also started using drones to spray herbicides to destroy poppy plants in Saikul area under Kangpokpi district and around 60 acres of poppy plantations have been sprayed during the exercise.
Widespread destruction of poppy plantation is underway in the interior hilly terrains of the state under the state government’s ‘War on drugs’ campaign, spearheaded by chief minister N Biren Singh.