In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, security forces arrested four alleged drug dealers and seized a huge consignment of narcotics and psychotropic substances weighing about 147 kilograms, including Yaba tablets, from the Leinaganpokpi area under Jiribam Police Station in Manipur’s Jiribam district on December 16.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, security personnel conducted a joint operation that led to the apprehension of the accused. They have been identified as Faruk Ali (35) of Barpeta district, Assam; Santosh Patel (43) of Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh; Mafij Uddin (29) of Kamrup district, Assam; and Hanif Ali (28) of Bongaigaon district, Assam.

During the operation, three truck vehicles allegedly used for transporting the illegal contraband were also seized. Officials suspect that the recovered narcotics were part of an inter-state drug trafficking network operating across the northeastern region.

The arrested individuals have been taken into custody for further interrogation. Legal proceedings have been initiated to trace the forward and backward linkages of the racket. Authorities have reiterated their resolve to intensify operations against narcotics smuggling in order to curb the growing drug menace in the region.