West Garo Hills: Rs 60 lakh heroin seized, two Goalpara men held

Meghalaya's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and West Garo Hills police arrested two men from Assam's Goalpara district with suspected heroin worth around Rs 60 lakh at Tikrikilla on Saturday, police said.

What was seized

Acting on intelligence inputs, a joint team intercepted the two at Tikrikilla and recovered 10 plastic soap boxes holding 112.52 grams of suspected heroin, ANTF Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar said. Police put the street value of the drugs at about Rs 60 lakh. Two cars and three mobile phones were also seized.

The arrested men were identified as Shahadot Ali, 31, of Rakhyasini Jungle Block, and Rejaul Islam, 31, of Helapokri, Baladmari. Both are from the Mornoi area of Goalpara district, according to police.

A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Tikrikilla police station.

Wider network suspected

Police said the two are suspected to be part of a larger organised syndicate that moves drugs across state lines. The ANTF is now tracing the "forward and backward linkages" of the network, both where the heroin came from and where it was headed.

Tikrikilla lies in the plains belt of West Garo Hills close to the Assam border. Police did not say where the consignment was being taken or how the pair had been tracked, beyond describing the input as credible intelligence.

Appeal to the public

The ANTF asked people to share information about drug trafficking with police. It said the identity of anyone giving information would be kept secret and that useful tips would be rewarded.

The seizure comes as police across the North East step up anti-drug drives ahead of the festive season; Mizoram launched the second phase of its "Operation Jericho" this week. Police have not said whether more arrests are likely in the West Garo Hills case.