CRPF's Swift Response Thwarts Drug Smuggling Bid in Kohima

In Kohima's Sechu Zubza, CRPF and local police seized 14.312 kg of suspected opium from a Tata Winger. A passenger tried to escape but was caught after a chase. The drugs and suspect were handed over to local authorities.

In a significant drug bust, the 78 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), alongside officers from the Police Station Sechu Zubza, intercepted a vehicle in Kohima, uncovering 14.312 kilograms of suspected opium. The illicit cargo was found inside a Tata Winger registered MN-06B-1350, which was en route from Senapati in Manipur to Dimapur.

The operation unfolded during a routine passenger check, when a man identified as Dharam Singh from Ludhiana, Punjab, requested a bathroom break and attempted to flee. CRPF personnel swiftly pursued and captured Singh following a 500-meter chase across difficult terrain.

Back in custody, Singh was ordered to open his luggage. Authorities discovered packets of suspected opium hidden in black polythene bags, along with two 'Khaini' containers, another smaller packet of the substance, and Rs 56,500 in cash. The seizure was officially weighed in the presence of a Sechu Zubza magistrate, and Singh, along with the seized materials, was surrendered to Police Station Zubza for further investigation under narcotics laws.

(With inputs from agencies.)