Guwahati, June 12 (IANS) A planned and coordinated crackdown by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on the smuggling syndicate in the North-East region has led to confiscation of more than 71 lakh smuggled cigarette sticks, over the past two months.

The market price of the seized smuggled cigarette sticks is estimated to be valued around Rs 14 crore. Following the seizure of foreign-origin cigarettes in the months of May and June, the DRI sleuths also captured the suspects behind the smuggling racket. A total of four suspects were taken into custody.

The DRI seized more than 45 lakh sticks of foreign-origin cigarettes of brands such as Mond, XSo, ORIS and Patron in Mizoram on June 11. This operation was carried out with the assistance of the 34th Battalion, Assam Rifles. One person has been arrested in the case.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the cigarettes were smuggled into the country from Myanmar through the Zokhawthar sector along the Indo-Myanmar border.

In other operations spanning over the past few weeks, another 26 lakh such cigarettes were seized, leading to the arrest of three more accused.

Last month, the Assam Rifles, along with other agencies, conducted three different operations in Mizoram and seized foreign cigarettes and highly addictive methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 35.71 crore.

Assam Rifles troops, in a joint operation with the Excise and Narcotics Department, foiled a drug trafficking attempt in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district on May 29 and recovered one lakh highly addictive methamphetamine tablets weighing 9.807 kg, valued at over Rs 30 crore.

In another operation, the Assam Rifles troops, in coordination with DRI sleuths, intercepted a truck loaded with foreign cigarettes being illegally transported. The joint team recovered a total of 218 cartons of foreign cigarettes, comprising 48 cartons of Oris, 66 cartons of Patron and 104 cartons of Win cigarettes, valued at approximately Rs 5.23 crore.

In the third operation, the Mizoram police intercepted yet another consignment, leading to the recovery of 20 cases of illegal foreign-origin cigarettes, with an estimated market value of approximately Rs 48 lakh.

–IANS

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