Nongpoh: Acting on a tip-off, the Seng Samla Shnong and Seng Longkmie of Nongpoh Proper apprehended a woman drug peddler from Umling village.
The woman identified as Tara Marbaniang, residing at the Excise Department quarter at Nongpoh was nabbed during a surprise raid at her residence on Saturday.
The raid was conducted after Shanbor Marbaniang (32) from Umling was nabbed by the youths of Nongpoh Proper while he was buying drugs from Marbaniang at her residence. Later, he confessed that he was accompanied by another youth, Marshall Lyngdoh, who requested him to buy two packets of drugs packed in two separate pieces of paper costing Rs. 300 each. However, Lyngdoh managed to escape.
The two were handed over to the police for further investigations.
During the raid, ganjas, unknown drug tablets, six injection syringes, four mobile phones, red powder packed in paper and cash amounting to Rs. 16625 was recovered from her residence.
It may be mentioned that the woman, who is a habitual offender, was previously caught selling drugs to addicts from Ri Bhoi District. Her son, Sahil Marbaniang, who is also involved in the same illegal activity, was arrested by the Ri Bhoi Police a few months back.
Earlier, the Dorbar had forwarded a letter to the Excise Department to take actions against Marbaniang to vacate the official quarter of the department, there has been no response from the department till date.
Further, the youths and women body also sought the intervention of the Deputy Commissioner of Ri Bhoi to remove her from the quarter of the Excise Department.
Aimed at eradicating drug peddlers, the locals informed that they will continue to keep a strict vigil on the availability of drugs which has also been strictly prohibited by the village Dorbar of Nongpoh.
