Shillong: Two persons were arrested and 32.64 grams of suspected heroin were seized in two separate interceptions by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) at Umiam in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district on Monday night, officials said.
In the first case, acting on information from a confidential source at around 7 pm on August 10, the ANTF set up a naka at Umiam to intercept a suspected drug peddler identified as Allan Marwein of Mawlai Nongkwar, Block 13.
According to the ANTF, Marwein was returning to Shillong from Guwahati after allegedly procuring heroin.
At around 9.30 pm, the team intercepted a vehicle bearing registration number AS 01 AV 1166 at Lad Umiam. Marwein, who was driving the vehicle, was detained.
Two independent witnesses were called to witness the search and seizure proceedings. During the search, the ANTF recovered a soap box containing a yellow-orange powder from beneath the left front seat of the vehicle.
The substance, wrapped in black polythene, tested positive for heroin in a preliminary field test. The suspected contraband weighed 10.93 grams.
In a separate interception at around 11 pm, the ANTF team stopped a suspected scooter bearing registration number ML 05 AB 9546 travelling towards Shillong.
The ANTF said the rider, identified as Jaziel Nongjop Syiem, attempted to flee after noticing the naka team. The team, however, managed to stop the vehicle and detain him on suspicion of drug peddling.
Two independent witnesses were called to Lad Umiam Junction to witness the search and seizure proceedings conducted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
During a body search, the team recovered two soap cases containing yellow-orange powder suspected to be heroin from inside Syiem’s jacket. The packets were wrapped in black polythene and placed inside a pink plastic bag.
A preliminary field test returned positive for heroin. The suspected contraband weighed 21.71 grams.
The two seizures together amounted to 32.64 grams of suspected heroin.
Further legal proceedings in both cases are underway under the provisions of the NDPS Act, the ANTF said.
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