In a major drug bust, Tripura Police seized 1.24 lakh methamphetamine tablets (also known as Yaba tablets) valued at around Rs one crore and arrested two persons in the capital city on Sunday, officials said.
The drugs smuggled from Myanmar were intended to be smuggled to Bangladesh, the officials added.
A police officer said that the 1.24 lakh methamphetamine tablets were seized from a cement-laden truck.
Police arrested the truck driver Jamal Hussain (43) and his assistant Mintu Baman (33). The police intercepted the truck, which was coming from Meghalaya and going to bordering Sonamura in Sepahijala district.
Police officials suspect that the drugs were intended to be smuggled to Bangladesh and had been brought from Myanmar.
A case has been registered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985. Immediately after the arrest of the truck driver and his assistant, police officials started interrogating the duo to ascertain the details of the drug smuggling effort.
The drugs were seized, two days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths conducted coordinated search operations across multiple locations in Tripura on Friday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, targeting inter-state drug cartels involved in the trafficking of narcotic substances, including ganja and phensidyl.
A Tripura government official had said that during Friday’s search operation in three Tripura districts -- West Tripura, South Tripura and Sepahijala, the ED sleuths identified seven persons, including Dhruba Majumdar, an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Tripura Police, in the drug peddling racket.
Majumdar is presently posted at the Crime Branch section under the office of the Superintendent of Police, South Tripura district and a resident at Baikhora.
The source said the Tripura Police was contemplating suitable legal and administrative action against Majumdar.
The ED sleuths as part of their investigation also summoned some Tripura Gramin Bank officials and questioned them early on Friday.
Though Tripura has become the most important producer of ganja and a corridor for synthetic drugs, including highly addictive methamphetamine tablets, this is the first time in Tripura that such major raids were conducted by the Central agency against the key drug players.
Sri Lankan Navy arrests 32 Tamil fishermen, five boats seized
The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 32 fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Lankan waters.
Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi hails ISRO's century in rocket launches, urges people to dedicate a day for science
Addressing the 119th episode of his monthly radio programme, 'Mann Ki Baat', on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Indian Space Research Organisation, saying it has hit the century in space. Last month, the country witnessed the ISRO's 100th rocket launch.
Mizoram student stabbed to death in Kerala, batchmate arrested
A 22-year-old BTech student from Mizoram was stabbed to death near his college in Thiruvananthapuram. The deceased, Valentine, was a student at Rajadhani Institute of Engineering & Technology, Nagaroor.
Italy PM slams Left's double standards, says when Trump, Meloni, Modi talk, they are called threat to democracy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has accused left-wing politicians of being "nervous" over former US President Donald Trump's victory, claiming that conservatives are unfairly labelled as a "threat to democracy" while leftist leaders are celebrated for similar global alliances.
NDRF intensifies rescue operation to save 8 trapped in Telangana tunnel
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams on Sunday intensified rescue efforts to save eight persons trapped in an under-construction tunnel after a portion of its roof collapsed in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district on February 22.
Israel delays Palestinian prisoner release after 'humiliating' hostage handovers
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that the release of Palestinian prisoners would be delayed until Hamas ceases its "humiliating ceremonies" during the release of Israeli hostages under the ceasefire deal.
PM Modi on 3-day visit to MP, Bihar, Assam from today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Assam from February 23 to 25 to participate in several developmental projects and inaugurate business summits.
US senators call out China for 'weaponising' UN 1971 resolution, vow support to Taiwan
The United States Senators accused China of subverting United Nations Resolution 2758 in an attempt to isolate Taiwan. The senators proposed a resolution in the Senate reaffirming US support for Taiwan. The resolution opposes China's attempt to prevent Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations.