Shillong: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Additional Superintendent of Police in Ri Bhoi district has been constituted to delve into the networks and sources behind a significant drug seizure in the area.
The team’s objectives include uncovering financial transactions, confiscating properties acquired through illegal means, and identifying cross-border drug distribution channels to dismantle the operation.
The investigation follows the arrest of three individuals from Assam—Ekramul Hussain, aged 30, Monjuwara Begum, 32, and Nihar Begum, also 30—during a January 1 operation at 15th Mile, GS Road, Byrnihat. The Meghalaya Police recovered approximately 254.16 grams of suspected heroin, valued in the lakhs, along with Rs 58,380 in cash and four mobile phones believed to be connected to the drug trade.
Authorities have stated that the suspects are linked to drug distributors operating from neighboring states and have reportedly accumulated significant wealth through illicit trafficking. The SIT will focus on tracing these connections while preparing to invoke the PITNDPS Act, 1988, which allows for the preventive detention of individuals involved in habitual drug trafficking.
The case, filed at Nongpoh Police Station, includes charges under sections 21(c), 27A, and 29 of the NDPS Act, covering possession of commercial quantities of narcotics, financing illicit trafficking, and conspiracy to commit drug-related offenses. Efforts to identify and seize assets linked to the accused are currently underway, with authorities following due legal procedures to ensure justice.
This high-profile investigation underscores Meghalaya Police’s commitment to curbing drug trafficking in the region and targeting the economic roots of such operations.
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