Itanagar, May 23: In a major anti-drug crackdown, the Tawang District Police has achieved the biggest drug seizure in the district’s history after apprehending two persons and recovering suspected heroin worth around Rs 3.4 lakh during a series of raids conducted across Tawang township.
According to Superintendent of Police Tasi Darang, the operation was launched on Friday based on credible intelligence inputs received from reliable sources regarding narcotics-related activities in the area.
A joint team of the Anti-Drugs Squad (ADS) and Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), led by DySP Tasso Kato, carried out raids at multiple locations in the township under the close supervision of SP Darang.
During the operation, police arrested two individuals identified as Tenzin Phuntso (27) of Mandrelling and Lobsang (27) of Nehru Market.
Police recovered a total of 68 vials containing suspected heroin weighing approximately 81.6 grams, including the weight of the vials. The estimated market value of the seized contraband is around Rs 3.4 lakh, the SP said.
The seizure was conducted in the presence of Executive Magistrates - Assistant Commissioners Tenzin Jambey and Sangey Norbu, while a case has been registered at Tawang Police Station under relevant sections of law.
Calling it the “largest-ever drug bust” in Tawang district, the SP expressed concern over the increasing trend of narcotics-related activities in the region. He, however, asserted that Tawang Police would continue to maintain a strict “zero tolerance” policy against drug trafficking and substance abuse.
Meanwhile, the district police carried out a joint cannabis destruction drive in the Namtsering-Kharteng area under Lumla sub-division.
The operation was led by Officer-in-Charge of Lumla Police Station, SI Ajati Mimi, under the supervision of the SP Tawang, in collaboration with personnel from the 67th Battalion SSB Lungla and local villagers from Kharteng and Namtsering. The IC SB of Namtsering-Dudunghar also participated in the exercise.
During the drive, approximately 2.3 acres of land were cleared and nearly 1,500 kgs of wild cannabis plants were destroyed and disposed of by burning, the SP said.