ITANAGAR, Sep 24: The anti-drug squad (ADS) of the West Siang police seized heroin worth Rs 25 lakhs and arrested as many as seven peddlers from Aalo in West Siang, Rottung in Siang district, and Jonai in Assam in the last few days.
The ADS had been pursuing the interstate drug racket for the last several months, on the basis of electronic and field surveillance of suspects, said SP Jummar Basar.
On receipt of a credible tip-off on 15 September, the ADS, led by Inspector Yomken Riram and also comprising SI C Yanchang and Constables SK Singh, Tumbom Bagra, A Ansari, AK Yadav and T Hemi, set out on hot pursuit of a suspect, identified as Mogum Loyi aka ‘Shakal’, of Aalo, who was one of the major stockists of contraband drugs in Aalo. Loyi is a teacher by profession.
He was intercepted in Rottung area in Siang district while he was returning from Assam with the contraband substance in a car (AS01-AB-3298) driven by one Karjom Ori.
Upon search, drugs worth approximately Rs 5 lakhs were recovered from their possession and seized, and Mogum Loyi and Karjom Ori were arrested, the SP said.
A case has been registered against them at the Aalo police station under the NDPS Act.
During interrogation, Shakal revealed the names of several persons whom he had engaged for peddling drugs to the youths of West Siang and Leparada districts.
Accordingly, three more accused, identified as Tanon Takuk, Taguli Paleng and Dhan Bahadur Gurung, were arrested.
Shakal procured the heroin from Assam, which reached West Siang from Sibsagar district of Assam via Dhemaji district, through one middleman, identified as Navajyoti Kaman alias Raju, of Baikantapur village in Assam.
On 21 September, the ADS arrested one Raju Kaman, which led to the arrest of the main person, Bhupen Pegu, of Haluwating area in Sibsagar district, Assam, who used to supply drugs to peddlers of Jonai and Simen Sapori areas for eventual supply to Arunachal. Kaman and Pegu are also teachers.
After the arrest of the duo, heroin worth approximately Rs 20 lakhs was recovered. Both the persons and the seized contraband substance were produced before the sub-divisional judicial magistrate in Jonai, and were brought to the Aalo police station, the SP informed.
“With the busting of this interstate drug racket, we believe that the major chain of drug supply in the area has been disrupted,” Basar said.
Last month, six major drug dealers in the district had been arrested, and they are still in jail.
The West Siang ADS is also working in coordination with the Leparada district police to nab the peddlers in the district, as a result of which, six peddlers were arrested from West Siang on Wednesday and taken to Leparada district.
“Our efforts for last half-a-year may eventually lead to a complete stop to drug supply in the district, but the question is for how long,” the SP said, adding that the district would be able to make a fresh start, devoid of drugs, if more youths do not get into drug trafficking and peddling.
The West Siang police have thanked DGP RP Upadhyaya and IGP (L&O) Chuku Apa for their constant support and guidance, and also Jonai PS OC Inspector BK Pegu “for impeccable professionalism in lending much-needed assistance.”
