Drugs, explosives, single orangutan outvalue cash seizures in poll-bound Mizoram

The Mizoram Peoples Forum an independent church-led poll watchdog keeps close watch over poll expenses and conduct by political parties and candidates

Aizawl: Seizures of large amounts of cash and liquor, some of which could be used to influence voters, isn’t uncommon ahead of elections in India.

Mizoram CEO Madhup Vyas at a press conference earlier this month in connection to the November 7 election to the 40-member state legislative assembly. (X/AIR)

But in poll-bound Mizoram, authorities have seized huge quantities of illegal drugs, cigarettes, explosives and even an Orangutan and comparatively much less cash ahead of voting on November 7. The total value of the seizures is worth over ₹36 crore.

Mizoram chief electoral officer Madhup Vyas said on Wednesday that until October 24, only ₹8110 in unaccounted cash has been seized. On the other hand, over 44,000 litres of liquor valued at ₹1.16 cr have been recovered.

“The seizures are the outcome of good coordination between all enforcing agencies including state police, Assam Rifles, excise department and local organizations,” said Vyas.

The CEO mentioned the role of Mizoram Peoples Forum (MPF), an independent church-led poll watchdog that keeps very strict vigilance on poll expenses and conduct by political parties and candidates.

“Before the election, MPF signed an agreement with the four major political parties in the state, Mizo National Front, Congress, Zoram People’s Movement and Bharatiya Janata Party not to offer inducement in cash or kind to voters. That has helped in keeping the flow of unaccounted cash very low,” said Vyas.

Mizoram has officially been a dry state since May 2019 after the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) government fulfilled its poll-promise and ended controlled sale of liquor introduced by the previous Congress government in January 2015.

However, in August last year, the government allowed locally grown grapes to be processed and sold in the market freely following an outrage over seizure of large quantities of locally processed wine. Prohibition of other liquors continues.

Authorities have also seized nearly 4.5 kg of heroin valued at over ₹19 cr, around 400,000 Methamphetamine tablets worth ₹4.28 cr, 7100 kg of poppy seeds valued at nearly ₹57 lakhs, over 2 million sticks of cigarettes worth ₹8.84 crore and 10 litres of cough syrup worth ₹21,400.

“There are large seizures of drugs due to Mizoram’s proximity with Myanmar, which is part of the Golden Triangle (a drug route that also includes Thailand and Laos). Smugglers are trying to use the Mizoram route to transport drugs due to violence-hit Manipur (another state which shares border with Myanmar). But we have been very vigilant and been able to make large seizures,” said Vyas.

Other seizures include one Honda City car worth ₹2 lakhs, timber worth over ₹22 lakhs and even an Orangutan, which is suspected to have been smuggled in from neighbouring Myanmar, valued at ₹10 lakhs. Seventy boxes of gelation and 1500 metres of cortex worth ₹38 lakhs are also among the things seized.

“There’s less seizure of cash because it is in less circulation due to the agreement of political parties with MPF. These days people can make online transactions as well, but I don’t think that’s much of a possibility in Mizoram especially in rural areas,” said Lalramliana Pachau, general secretary of MPF.