Imphal: An Indian Army spokesperson was yesterday arrested in Manipur with contraband drugs worth about Rs150m in the international market, police here said.
The drugs were to be smuggled to neighbouring Myanmar, a Manipur Police official said.
Colonel Ajay Choudhury of Red Shield Division was arrested along with five other people from Pallel town in Thoubal district after a hot chase, district police chief Jhaljit Singh said.
Police claimed that the army officer had earlier smuggled banned drugs from capital Imphal to Moreh town on the Myanmar border five times.
The other five accused are Choudhury’s assistant R K Babblu, a private airline’s assistant manager, Ngairakpam Brojendro, Haopu Haokip, Minthang Bongel and Milan Haokip, the police officer said.
“They were carrying pseudoephedrine tablets of different brands in three vehicles to Moreh to smuggle these to Myanmar,” Jhaljit Singh said.
The police chief said they received a tip-off about the movement on Saturday. But when a police team tried to stop the vehicles in Khongjom, they drove away without stopping. They were caught after a chase.
The accused, including the army officer, have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
“If found guilty, strict action will be taken against him (Colonel Choudhury),” Indian Army spokesperson Colonel Jagdeep Dahiya said.
Pseudoephedrine tablets are also called party drugs as they induce great energy when taken as pills, injected, inhaled or smoked. Such drugs are attractive to teenagers the world over.
“The drug has been used as a precursor to the manufacturing of speed pills such as amphetamine and metamphetamine in Myanmar,” a customs official said.
IANS
