DIMAPUR, MAY 22 (MExN): Personnel of the Excise department are all set to get equipped with weapons in the fight against drug trafficking and bootlegging. Come June, the department will be commissioned .303 rifles and Sten (Mark series) carbines. The Home department has already given the nod to reinforce the Excise with firepower, disclosed State Commissioner of Excise, Maong Aier on Tuesday, May 22. “The clearance was given this month,” and the weapons are expected by June. “The arms will comprise of 47 numbers of .303 rifles and Sten carbines”, added Aier.
The department has on record three occasions, in particular, when unarmed Excise personnel had close encounters with smugglers armed with automatic weapons, said Aier on the significance of the department receiving weapons. Besides, the department will also affect certain changes in the look of the uniform. ‘Maroon caps’ was one of the few changes that are expected in the uniform for Excise personnel.
Cough syrup recovered from goods carrier
The Commissioner further disclosed that Narcotic Cell personnel manning the inter-state check post at Khuzama (Kohima district) recovered 200 bottles of cough syrup - a controlled drug. The catch was made from a sand-laden truck reportedly bound for Senapati in Manipur on the evening of May 21. The driver of the truck (NL 07 A 4127), identified as Basant Naik, was taken into custody.
According to the statement of the driver, he was given two cartons by one Abem Rongmei to be transported alongwith the sand. The cartons were handed to him in Dimapur, citing it was medicine, at the PWD office junction. Unbeknownst, it was a restricted item; he had taken along the small cargo eventually getting caught at Khuzama, the driver said in his statement. The sand also belonged to the said person while the owner of the vehicle is said to be a resident of Bokajan. The Commissioner said that the Narcotic Cell will continue with the investigation to trace out the person accused of handing the cough syrup to the driver.
According to the Excise, the source point of illicitly obtained cough syrups is Diphu and Bokajan in Assam. Aier also sent out a strong message to medicine dealers not to sell such items to people without the proper papers and permits. The accused if found guilty will face imprisonment upto 3 years alongwith monetary penalty ranging from Rs. 10, 000 to one lakh.
