The special police commando team of Thoubal district arrested one alleged drug trafficker from Lilong along with 8,812 bottles of codeine cough syrup. Some hardcore drug addicts use this banned cough syrup as a temporary substitute for hard drugs.
This is the first instance of seizure of this syrup after insurgents gunned down on non-local drug trafficker at Thangal market in the Imphal city on the charge that he was associated with the drug business by selling this syrup. The item was banned in Manipur to prevent drug addicts from acquiring it easily. Jogeschandra Haobijam, SP of Thoubal district said an FIR was registered and an investigation was underway.
Police sources said intelligence inputs were received to the effect that some traffickers were going to transport such codeine cough syrup bottles. The commandos were on the lookout for the traffickers. On Friday afternoon, they raided the house of one Makakmayum Bahurl Islam (26), a resident of Lilong in the district. One truck loaded with sand was found parked in a suspicious manner near his house.
The commandos found 25 burlap sacks beneath the sand and 8,812 bottles of the syrup were uncovered from these sacks. In light of the fact that addicts are paying a great deal more than the printed price for this syrup, it is not immediately known what amounts are involved.
During the preliminary interrogation, the commandos could not extract vital information and the accused was formally arrested. Later, he was handed over to the Liong police station for further investigation.
The police anticipate that some of the accused drug trafficker's associates will be arrested once he spills the beans.
