Two trucks carrying suspected Burmese betel nuts seized by Lailapur Police, Three arrested

Burmese betel nuts are being smuggled to Assam from Myanmar via neighbouring states like Mizoram by mafias. Traders involved in illegal Burmese betel nuts business have become desperate in the recent times. Vehicle drivers and co-drivers are being caught by the police while trying to smuggle Burmese betel nuts by illegal means.

Yesterday night during naka checking, two trucks coming from Mizoram towards Cachar district were intercepted by Lailapur Police bearing registration numbers NL-01-AC-1621 and AS-01-FC-8491. The two trucks having registration numbers of Nagaland and Assam’s Kamrup Metropolitan District were stopped for checking by the Police. During the search, the truck bearing registration number NL-AC-1621 was found to possess 29 bags of suspected Burmese betel nuts with each bag approximately weighing 70 kgs. Another truck bearing registration number AS-01-FC-8491 was found to possess 200 kgs of suspected Burmese betel nuts.

In connection with the incident three persons were nabbed by the Police and further necessary action is being initiated against them. The arrested three persons are –

1) Samin Yasmin Laskar aged 22 years, S/O Samsuddin Laskar of Loknathpur Village, Police Station: Dholai

2) Sajarul Islam aged 20 years, S/O Saif Uddin of Gumrah Jalalpur Village, Police Station: Kalain

3) Ramij Uddin aged 22 years, S/O Musaid Ali of Kalain Dum Village

The smuggling of Burmese betel nuts has become a matter of grave concern in Assam and neighbouring states. It maybe mentioned that in the last month too Burmese betel nuts were seized by Lailapur Police from a 12 wheel lorry. The incident took place on January 24, 2023. The lorry carrying Burmese betel nuts under the guise of local betel nuts was seized by Lailapur police. Police personnel on duty stopped the lorry with registration number NL 01Q 7497 coming from Mizoram side infront of Lailapur Police Patrol Post during a similar naka checking. When asked what was in the lorry, the driver said that it was loaded with Burmese betel nuts under the guise of local betel nuts. Immediately, the police arrested the driver Aminul Islam, 25, a resident of Berelkandi under Yugigupa police station area of Barpeta district and detained the lorry. A total of 240 bags of suspected Burmese betel nuts weighing 55 kgs were recovered from the lorry.