Mizoram: Assam Rifles seizes illegal areca nuts worth Rs 18.5 lakh

In yet another success in its crusade against smuggling activities, the Serchipp Battalion of 23 Sector Assam Rifles under the aegis of Inspector General Assam Rifles (East), recovered 740 bags of illegal areca nuts worth Rs.18.5 Lakh in the general area Chhungte, Champhai and apprehended seven individuals on 30 January 2023. 
    
The operation was carried out by a combined team of Assam Rifles and the Police Department, Champhai based on specific information.  

Approximate cost of the recovered areca nuts Rs 18.5 lakh (Eighteen lakh fifty thousand only). The seized consignment and apprehended individuals were handed over to the Customs department, Champhai on 31 January 2023 for further legal proceedings.  

Also Read: Mizoram: Government to take measures to seal godowns storing smuggled areca nuts

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.

The Mizoram government would take measures to seal all godowns illegally run to store smuggled areca nuts, an official statement said on January 30.

A meeting of a task group on illegal areca nuts chaired by the home commissioner and secretary H Lalengmawia on Monday decided that the task group would submit its report to the Central Customs department to ensure that all illegal godowns along with stored smuggled areca nuts in different parts of the state are sealed and necessary legal action is taken accordingly, it said. 

The meeting decided to continue the collection of existing stocks of smuggled areca nuts from across the state during February, the statement said. The meeting also decided to intensify measures to curb the smuggling of areca nuts from Myanmar and other south-east Asian countries.