Two held at IGI with drug worth crores

NEW DELHI: Two people from Mizoram have been arrested for smuggling 115kgs of pseudoephedrine from IGI domestic airport, crime branch said on Tuesday. Delhi Police, along with CISF, nabbed the accused when they were about to take a Spicejet flight to Guwahati and were carrying drugs worth Rs 1.5 to Rs 6 crore in the international market.
According to sources, pseudoephedrine is a high-quality ‘party drug’ which was to being smuggled from Delhi for the dealers in Myanmar.The anti-narcotics agencies have noticed that a large number of people from Mizoram and Manipur are smuggling drugs like pseudoephedrine, cocaine, methaqualone and ketamine. Also, Myanmar is turning out to be main point from where these drugs are being further smuggled to China. “In China, ketamine, pseudoephedrine and methaqualone are in heavy demand and India is the cheapest market to buy them,” said a source from anti-narcotics department.
The accused, Lianthuama Chhakchhuak (48) and Sawithanga (53), are residents of Lunglei district in Mizoram and were traced after some CISF officials got a tip-off about four baggages that were to go in a Spicejet flight at 4.40pm on Monday. During checking, police found 115kgs of pseudoephedrine tablets in the bags. Following this, the duo was intercepted before they could board the flight. Crime branch’s narcotics cell was informed and the accused were then arrested, CISF spokesperson Hemendra Singh said.
“The accused said they are in furniture business. But it has come to light that they were carriers and would have got Rs one lakh on delivery of these drugs,” Singh added.
“Lianthuama told police that he has studied till Class five and works as a welder. He took to crime as his income was not enough to meet the rising expenses of his family. About two weeks ago, he came in contact with one Robert Mafsawma in Lunglei who offered him good money if he was able to bring pseudoephedrine tablets from the capital. ,” said Ravindra Yadav, additional commissioner of police (crime branch).
Sawithanga, additional DCP Bhisham Singh said, “He is a carpenter and is a relative of Lianthuama. Both came in contact with Robert and came to Delhi to carry the tablets”.