By Bhupen Goswami
Guwahati : In a major haul, Assam Rifles apprehended two drug smugglers in two different operations and claimed to have seized 15 kgs of illegal drugs – crystal meth and brown sugar – 
worth over Rs 23 crores (in the international market). Official sources on Tuesday said that the 12th Assam Rifles posted at the Khudengthabi check post on the National Highway 102 in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district bordering Myanmar launched the routine check on Monday afternoon following input from across the border. In the first action that occurred at around 1 pm on Monday, one alleged drug smuggler (later identified as 51-year-old Khangbungmang), a resident of Moreh ward number 3, was apprehended as a part of the routine check-up along with his Toyota vehicle at Khudengthabi check post. Nine unauthorized kilos of crystal meth worth over Rs 7 crores have been recovered from his possession. Crystal meth comes in clear chunky crystals resembling ice and is most commonly smoked, officials said. In the follow-up action, one smuggler (namely, Umang Gurung, 22) from Moreh was also rounded up with 8 kilos of brown sugar worth 16 crores (in the international market). Both the smugglers were later handed over to the customs officials at Moreh for disposal. The vehicles used in the smuggling of drugs have also been impounded.Crystal meths were seized from one man identified as Khamboumang (51), s/o Thongkhemmang of Moreh Ward No 3, when conducting checking of a Toyota Altis vehicle, travelling towards Imphal, at the 12 AR Khudengthabi checkpost at around 12 pm yesterday. The estimated value of the crystal meths is Rs 7 crore, said AR. The 8 kg of brown sugar worth Rs 16 crore was seized from one identified as Kumar Gurung (22), s/o Hum Bahadur of Takaimai, Senapati while checking a Maruti Eeco vehicle at the checkpost at around 5 pm yesterday. The seized contraband items and the two persons have been handed over to NCB for further investigation.
