68 tonne areca nuts worth Rs 5.87 cr smuggled from Myanmar seized in Manipur

Imphal, April 12 (IANS) After Mizoram, the Assam Rifles have seized 68 tonnes of smuggled areca nuts worth Rs 5.87 crore in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district, officials said on Friday.

A Defence spokesman said that based on specific intelligence input regarding illegal transportation of areca nuts on Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37), a Joint Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) was established by Assam Rifles and Police at Haibung in Kangpokpi District of Manipur.

During the operation, the joint team intercepted two trucks (with Nagaland registration) carrying approximately 68 tonnes of areca nuts valued at Rs 5.87 crore. On thorough checking, it was found that the consignment was being transported without valid documents, including mandatory transit permits from the forest department.

The seized consignment, along with both vehicles, was handed over to the forest officials of Kangpokpi Forest Division for further legal action and investigation.

The mountainous Kangpokpi District shares borders with Nagaland.

Police officials said that the areca nuts, also known as Burmese Betel nuts, were smuggled from Myanmar. The Assam Rifles, Customs and police often seized Burmese areca nuts in Mizoram after they were smuggled from Myanmar.

Large-scale smuggling of areca nuts from Myanmar is seriously affecting farmers in Assam, Mizoram and Tripura, where betel nuts grow in large quantities.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma had recently said that due to the illegal import of 'areca nut' from Myanmar, local cultivators in the state have faced serious challenges in selling their produce at competitive prices.

Addressing the training-cum-seminar on 'Scientific Methods of Cultivation of Areca nut and Pest Management', he emphasised that the government is working diligently to address these difficulties and take corrective measures. He announced that Rs 7.43 crore has been sanctioned by the North Eastern Council (NEC) for establishing areca nut processing units at Chemphai and Zamuang.

He said that these units would ensure proper processing of areca nuts, create value-added products, and facilitate marketing. Lalduhoma also stressed the importance of proper utilisation of available resources to ensure increased productivity and economic benefits for farmers.

--IANS

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