Narcotic Cell of the Excise Department of Nagaland seized a total of 3430 Kg of poppy straw, worth Rs 34 lakhs, on Thursday at the inter-state excise check gate at Khuzama near Kohima.
A press release issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Excise (Narcotics Cell) S Chanlei Angh informed that this was one of the highest quantity of narcotic items seized in Nagaland.
Poppy straw is the husk left after the opium is extracted from the pods. This poppy straw also contains some morphine content and is abused in higher quantities. The consignment was coming from Imphal and was on its way to Siliguri, where 1,900 Kg of poppy straw were found concealed by sacks of dried fruits inside the first truck.
The driver of the second 10-wheeler truck parked his vehicle at some distance from the gate and disappeared into the forest by the highway. On searching, the duty party recovered 1530 kg of poppy straw concealed below sacks of animal feeds (Wheat Bran), the press release stated.
The driver of the first truck was arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, commonly referred to as the NDPS Act, the DC informed.
