Guwahati, June 26 (IANS) Assam Police have seized a massive consignment of narcotic substances valued at around Rs 10.8 crore during an overnight operation in Sribhumi district, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday, reaffirming the state’s commitment to its aggressive anti-drug campaign.

According to the Chief Minister, the operation was carried out by the Sribhumi Police, leading to the interception of a major drug consignment.

One person has been apprehended, while police have launched a manhunt to nab the remaining accused involved in the smuggling network.

“Rs 10.8 crore is a heavy price to pay for crossing paths with Assam Police. Kudos to Sribhumi Police for intercepting a massive consignment during an overnight operation. One apprehended and the hunt for the remaining accused is on,” CM Sarma posted on social media platform X.

Photographs shared by the Chief Minister showed dozens of packets of suspected cannabis stacked after the seizure, with police personnel and witnesses present at the site.

Senior police officials said further investigation is underway to ascertain the source and intended destination of the consignment. Efforts are also on to identify other members of the trafficking syndicate and trace the interstate and cross-border links associated with the racket.

Assam has intensified its anti-narcotics drive over the past few years, with law enforcement agencies conducting regular operations across the state to dismantle drug trafficking networks.

Large quantities of heroin, methamphetamine tablets, ganja and other contraband have been seized in successive operations, while hundreds of traffickers have been arrested.

The state government has maintained that Assam’s strategic location, sharing international borders with Bangladesh and Bhutan and acting as the gateway to the northeastern states, makes it vulnerable to drug trafficking routes originating from the infamous Golden Triangle region.

The government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against narcotics by combining stringent enforcement with intelligence-based operations, inter-agency coordination, awareness campaigns and rehabilitation initiatives.

Chief Minister Sarma has repeatedly asserted that the crackdown against drug syndicates will continue until the menace is eradicated from the state.

–IANS

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