In a significant crackdown on drug peddling, Longding Police, in a joint operation with ECIB (MI), 24 Assam Rifles, and 36 E Coy CRPF, apprehended a Burmese national, Azen Wangsu, for allegedly peddling opium at his residence.
The operation, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (HQ) M. Zirdo, resulted in the seizure of opium-smeared cloth weighing approximately 1.757 kilograms, with a market value estimated at Rs. 1.70 lakhs.
Following the seizure, Azen Wangsu, along with two women identified as Athen Pansa and Waonu Pansa, both residents of Kamkah village in Myanmar, were arrested. Wangsu, a former NSCN cadre, was reportedly residing at Zedua Village, which serves as the permanent residence of Niausa village in Longding District.
The case was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and relevant sections of the Foreigner Act. Sub-Inspector Tempa Tsering has been entrusted with further investigation.
During the operation, eleven individuals were detained for interrogation, including three juveniles and two locals from Longding district. However, upon joint examination by the police and the Child Welfare Committee, it was determined that six Myanmar nationals, including three juveniles, and two locals were innocent.
These individuals had allegedly been misled by the arrested accused and had innocently accompanied them in search of cheaper food and clothing to be taken back to their homeland. The Myanmar nationals, guided by Athen Pansa and Waonu Pansa, were reportedly unaware of the opium possessed by the accused.
No contraband substances were recovered from the possession of the innocent individuals. This revelation highlights the complexity of drug-related crimes and underscores the need for careful investigation to differentiate between perpetrators and innocent individuals who may have been misled or exploited.