IMPHAL, Jan 20: Security forces continued their crackdown on drugs and illegal arms across Manipur on Monday, arresting a suspected drug peddler, destroying large-scale poppy cultivation, and recovering a cache of weapons from hill areas.
On January 19, security personnel arrested Hriili Kaihrii (65), a resident of Mayangkhang Khunou in Kangpokpi district, from Phougakchao Ikhai Bazar check point under Phougakchao Ikhai Police Station in Bishnupur district. During the operation, eight soap cases of heroin powder, weighing approximately 94 grams, were seized from his possession.
In a separate anti-narcotics drive on the same day, a combined team of security forces, Forest Department, NAB and an Executive Magistrate destroyed about 22 acres of poppy cultivation at Dampi area under Sangaikot Police Station in Churachandpur district.
During the operation, three huts found at the cultivation site were burnt, and ten samples of poppy plants with pods were seized for legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, security forces also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from the hill range area between Wainem and Aigejang under New Keithelmanbi Police Station in Kangpokpi district. The recovered items included five bolt-action rifles, one pistol with an empty magazine, one .22 mm pistol with an empty magazine, seven 12-bore cartridges, two .22 mm ammunition, one pompi, and one pompi round.
Further investigations are underway in all the cases, police said.
