In a hut in Imphal East district, Manipur police seized more than Rs 3 crore in fake currency notes of the demonetized Rs 1000.
A joint operation was begun at 4.30 a.m. on Thursday in the Keirao Wangkhem area of the Imphal East district in response to specific information about the manufacture of phoney Indian currency notes, according to a police official.
Chungkham Dewan Singh (50) and Chingakham Surchandra Singh (40) of Keirao Wangkhem in Imphal East district were arrested by a team of police commandos attached to Thoubal district police early this morning after the fake currency notes were discovered in a hut on the land of the former (Chungkham Dewan Singh).
Hidden notes
The bogus and demonetized notes were discovered hidden in a shack on Dewan Singh’s land on the outskirts of his hamlet, according to the Thoubal district SP. Reporters were briefed by Dr. Jogeshchandra Haobam.
He claimed that in the early hours of today, police commandos invaded the hut based on specific information. Following the discovery of the false notes, the police contacted the hut’s owner (Dewan Singh) and, based on his confession, arrested Chingakham Surchandra Singh, who was suspected of depositing the counterfeit rupees.
Original identity revealed
The police discovered the false notes were carried by Tony of Waithou of Thoubal, who is presently residing in Keirao Wangkhem, a few days ago.
He revealed that he worked with Ch Surchandra, 40, a resident of Keirao Wangkhem, to bundle and tie bogus Indian rupee notes.
Both of them were apprehended, and the bogus Indian rupee notes were recovered.
They claimed that Tony of Keirao and his nephew Arun of Waithou Thiyam Khunjao brought the bogus Indian rupee notes and handed them over to them.
Nephew involved
According to the SP, Tony’s nephew, Arun Singh, was also implicated in the case. He went on to say that the two were still on the loose.
The purpose for which they were collecting demonetized currency notes had yet to be determined, according to the SP.
The arrested individuals, as well as the seized object, were turned over to the Irilbung police station for additional investigation, according to the SP.
Heroin worth Rs 4.5 crore seized
On Monday, police in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district confiscated 412 kilogrammes of heroin, estimated to be worth Rs 3.5 crore on the international market, and detained two people for carrying the contraband, according to an official.
Police halted a vehicle coming from Manipur at Laharijan check post under Bokajan police station after receiving information and discovered the narcotic disguised in 30 boxes of soap.
The two occupants of the car, who were transporting the heroin from Manipur to Guwahati, were detained, according to the official.
In a separate instance, three people were arrested in Guwahati on suspicion of unlawfully trafficking betel nuts from Meghalaya to Barpeta, Assam.
Two arrested
The driver of the vehicle and another individual, both from Manipur’s Thoubal district, were arrested in connection with the incident, according to a police official. He stated that a case had been filed in this regard at the Basistha police station, and that further investigations were underway to determine the connections.
Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Chief Minister, tweeted, “Thank you, @assampolice, for tightening the noose around the drug mafia. Police intercepted an interstate drug shipment near Jorabat this morning, seizing 660 grammes of heroin worth over Rs 4.5 crore on the international market and arresting two people. Good!”.
