Heroin worth over Rs 271 crore seized in Mizoram since January this year

Aizawl: Law enforcement agencies in Mizoram have seized heroin worth over Rs 271 crore in the international market since January this year, an official said.

The Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department seized 27.7 kg of heroin worth around Rs 138.5 crore between January and June this year. The seized heroin was mostly smuggled from Myanmar, the official said.

The department also seized 15.3 kg of ganja (cannabis) and 4 kg of Methamphetamine tablets during the same period, he said.

The official also said that the state police seized 26.5 kg of heroin worth around Rs 132.5 crore between January and May.

The state police also seized 210.7 kg of Pseudoephedrine tablets and 25.38 kg of Methamphetamine tablets during the same period, he said.

Last year the state police had seized 49.3 kg of heroin and 29.8 kg of Pseudoephedrine tablets.

Meanwhile, the meeting of the 'Core Committee on Ruihol Do' (War against drugs) chaired by Mizoram Social Welfare and Excise Minister Lalrinawma on Friday expressed concern about the increasing drug abuse in rural areas.

The meeting observed that the menace of drug abuse in rural villages is much higher than in urban areas.

It decided to launch an awareness programme across the state to curb the drug menace.

The state government has provided Rs 3 crore to the core committee to combat the drug menace.

The meeting was attended by officials of the department concerned and representatives of the Mizoram Aids Control Society (MSACS), Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA) and Mizo Students' Union (MSU).