Mizoram: Assam Rifles, Customs seize 240 bags of illegal areca nuts worth Rs 1.34 cr

Champhai: Assam Rifles under the aegis of Inspector General Assam Rifles (East) seized 240 bags of illegal areca nuts worth Rs 1.34 crore in the general area Murlen, Champhai, said officials on Sunday.
"The operation was carried out by a combined team of Assam Rifles and Customs Preventive Force on Saturday based on specific information about a hidden location near the Murlen Track Junction towards the forest area of Murlen National Park," an official statement said. "The approximate cost of the recovered 240 bags of Areca Nuts is Rs 1.34 crores," it stated.
The recovered consignment was handed over to Customs Preventive Force, Champhai on April 22 for further legal proceedings, the official statement reads.
The ongoing smuggling of illegal areca nuts is a major cause of concern for the state of Mizoram. Assam Rifles, rightly christened as the 'Sentinels of Northeast' have been successful in launching such operations against the smuggling activities in Mizoram.
Earlier on April 21, Assam Rifles apprehended one person in Zokhawthar in the Champhai district of Mizoram and recovered 144 cases of foreign-origin beer and liquor worth Rs 5.43 lakh, an official statement said.
"Serchipp Battalion of 23 Sector Assam Rifles under the aegis of Inspector General Assam Rifles (East), apprehended one person and recovered 144 cases of foreign origin beer and liquor worth Rs 5,43,740 at Zokhawthar, Champhai district," HQ IGAR (East) stated.
The arrested person has been identified as Zoremsanga, who hails from Neihdawn Village of Champhai district.
The operation was carried out by a combined team of Assam Rifles and the custom Department, Champhai based on specific information.
The seized consignment was handed over to Custom Preventive Force, Champhai on 21 April 2023 for further legal proceedings. (ANI)