GUWAHATI: Two Assam Home Guards spurned an offer of Rs 20 lakh from a smuggler and seized over 7.59 lakh contraband Yaba tablets worth Rs 40 crore in the international market. This is said to be the biggest ever seizure of Yaba tablets in the state. The recovery was made in Karimganj district of the Barak Valley in the wee hours of Tuesday.
The consignment was being smuggled in a car. The police arrested the driver, Hafij Uddin (36). He is a resident of Sombaribazar of Badarpur in the district. Additional Superintendent of Police Partha Pratim Das told journalists that the seizure was made by Home Guards Anupam Malakar and Jashim Uddin. “Altogether 7,59,200 Yaba tablets were seized. We have never heard of a seizure of such a huge quantity of Yaba tablets in one operation,” Das said.
According to the Karimganj Police, Malakar and Jashim Uddin would be suitably rewarded along with two Village Defence Party (VDP) members, Amiyo Paul and Dipankar Paul, who assisted during the seizure of the contraband. Jashim Uddin said he and Malakar were on a night patrol duty when they saw a vehicle approaching them.
“We signalled it to stop but it sped away. We chased it and saw it left abandoned. We then contacted the two VDP members. The driver reached me by contacting one of the VDP members over the phone. He asked us to release the car along with the consignment and offered Rs 20 lakh for it. But I said I cannot talk over the phone and asked him to come to the spot. When he came, we arrested him,” Jashim Uddin told the media.
The Karimganj Police said it was praiseworthy that the two home guards performed their duty diligently and ignored the smuggler’s offer. The police said all those involved in the smuggling of the contraband, including the other occupants of the car who managed to flee, would be arrested.
An investigation into the case under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act is underway, Das added. The operation has drawn praise from Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. “Patrolling team was offered Rs 20 lakhs by driver to release the vehicle, which it rejected, displaying great honesty and dedication to service. The team will be rewarded by Assam government for its loyalty (sic),” Sarma tweeted.