Drugs worth Rs 20 crore seized in Meghalaya

SHILLONG: A consignment of narcotics, worth nearly Rs 20 crore, was seized by the Customs Preventive Unit from Khanapara in the Ri-Bhoi district on Wednesday night.
"The activities of the drug peddler, identified as Letminlum Khongsai, were under surveillance," a customs official said. The arrested person, who was wanted in connection with drug peddling cases, was staying in a rented room at Killing village and was waiting to receive the consignment that came from Imphal on Wednesday evening, the top customs official said.
"The vehicle was intercepted near the rented house of Khongsai at Killing village. On searching the vehicle, 19.7 kg of Yaba tablets, a banned psychotropic drug, hidden in a deflated tyre of the car and on the sides of the doors, were seized," he said. The seizure of 19.7 kg of banned Yaba tablets, worth nearly Rs 20 crore, is one of the biggest seizures by the North East Commissionerate office of the Customs, the official added.
The accused drug peddler and the driver of the vehicle were booked under relevant sections of the NDPS Act, the customs officer said, adding that the duo was produced in a local court in Ri-Bhoi district on Thursday, following which they were remanded to 14-day judicial custody.