SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills district police have busted a drug network arresting 10 persons and seizing 1195 grammes of heroin valued at about Rs 5 crore.
Speaking to media persons on Wednesday, EKH SP Claudia Lyngwa said the seized contraband had come from Guwahati.
“We have managed to block the entire route from Manipur to Shillong. In this particular case, the consignment has come from Guwahati,” she said.
SDPO (Sadar) Jagpal Dhanoa said that on September 2 a naka was put up at Shillong viewpoint after receiving specific input that one Alberto Raplang coming from Guwahati was carrying 40 soap boxes of heroin.
He was intercepted, but no drugs were found in his possession. However, his phone had incriminating evidence.
On leads provided by Alberto, the police went to Guwahati to apprehend one Sashikant Singh, who was staying at the house of Abhi Das. On searching the house, 124 grammes of heroin were recovered. Police picked up both of them.
Sashikant then took the ANTF team to a hotel where dealers,who had brought the drugs to Guwahati, were staying. Three persons were arrested and a vehicle was seized from there.
Sashikant, meanwhile, gave information about one Gracy, who was staying in a lodge and her room was raided and 694 grammes of heroin were recovered.
After returning to Shillong around 7 am on September 3, police resumed operation on the same evening.
Following interrogation, two more persons were apprehended and 277 grammes of heroin were recovered from Laitkor.
Dhanoa said more arrests could not be ruled out as according to their information 15 soap boxes were still to be traced.
The police also caught a drug dealer Joe Batman from Mawprem whom they have been following.
Lyngwa said most of the dealers were themselves addicts, but they have realised that selling drugs in Shillong could earn them a lot of money.
She said the seizures are sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and reports are received in one-two months.
Those arrested are Genesis Th, N. Sashikant Singh, Temba Kh, M. Kahiminlin Zou, Gracy Hravernar and Kimneichong Hoakip alias Chong Hoakip (all from Manipur) and Joehanan Shullai, Ricardo Pariat, Alberto Raplang from Shillong besides Abhi Das from Assam.
