Hours-long operation leads to EJH drugs bust

SHILLONG/NONGSTOIN, July 28: Hours-long joint operation by the Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) and Lumshnong Police Station led to a drug bust in East Jaintia Hills on Thursday.
According to a statement, the joint operation was launched on Wednesday night following a tip-off about contraband items being smuggled into the state from Assam.
On Thursday afternoon, the teams managed to intercept a vehicle and apprehend one Nisooki War (29) of Lamyrsiang village, EJH, and recovered from his possession 17 boxes of suspected heroin weighing 201 grams and two mobile phones, and subsequently seized the same. The vehicle, however, was not seized as it was commercial and, at the same time, the contraband items were being smuggled without the knowledge of the driver or any other occupant.
The interrogation of the alleged drug peddler also led to the arrest of Triplepearl Pasi of East Jaintia Hills for reportedly abetting the smuggling of the seized contraband items.
Trio arrested in West Khasi Hills
Meanwhile, in West Khasi Hills, three persons were arrested in the dead of the night for reportedly attempting to distribute heroin in Nongstoin area.
The arrest was made around 1:30 am on Thursday after ANTF team set up a naka based on a tip-off about the distribution attempt of heroine in Nongstoin.
Three persons, viz. Bankerlang L Paliar, Bitdor Byrsat and Albinus Mawlieh — all residents of Upper New Nongstoin — were arrested and from their possession 10 grams of heroin worth Rs 30,000 was recovered.
A vehicle, three smartphones and the recovered contraband items were subsequently confiscated.