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

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

A meeting of a task group on illegal areca nuts chaired by 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 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 smuggling of areca nuts from Myanmar and other south east Asian countries. 

The meeting further decided that state police would strengthen all checkgates across the state to make them function purposefully and volunteers of Young Mizo Association (YMA) would assist them in all possible ways to control smuggling activities.

Deputy commissioners would also submit detailed Land Settlement Certificates (LSCs) or village council passes of land owners where areca nut godowns are being set up, the meeting said. The task group on illegal areca nuts was formed in December last year to curb smuggling of areca nuts from Myanmar and other south east Asian countries. 

East Mizoram's Champhai district has become a conduit of smuggling for various contrabands, including dried areca nuts, drugs, and exotic animals from Myanmar. 

Mizoram shares a 510-km long porous border with Myanmar. Local areca nut growers alleged that their markets had been affected by smuggled areca nuts.