Drugs worth Rs 76 crore seized in Manipur's Jiribam

Imphal: Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with the Manipur Police and CRPF, recovered drugs worth Rs 76 crore from Jiribam district, the paramilitary force said in a statement on Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, the security forces on Sunday seized heroin, concealed in 616 soap cases, and 50,000 banned methamphetamine tablets in the district, it said.

"The narcotic substances were being transported by a boat on the Barak river in Jiribam district," the statement said.

Lauding the Assam Rifles for the recovery of drugs, former chief minister N Biren Singh, in a post on X, said, "I commend the Assam Rifles for their decisive action in foiling major drug trafficking attempts in the region."

Singh also urged the paramilitary force to continue its crackdown on cross-border smuggling.

"With our border areas historically used as drug trafficking routes, continuous and intensified vigil is crucial to prevent new corridors from emerging," he added.