Security forces have arrested three suspected drug smugglers and seized a large quantity of yaba tablets during a checkpoint operation in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district, police said on Monday, January 12.According to police officials, the operation was carried out in the jurisdiction of Tengnoupal district following specific intelligence inputs about the movement of narcotics through the area. Acting on the information, security personnel set up a checkpoint and stopped a vehicle for checking. During a thorough search of the vehicle, a large consignment of yaba tablets was recovered.
The seized drugs weighed around 5.89 kilograms. Police said the consignment is estimated to be worth more than ₹1 crore in the illegal market, making it a significant haul. The recovery points to a serious attempt to smuggle narcotics through the border district, which has remained under close watch due to repeated incidents of drug trafficking.
The three arrested persons have been identified as James Baite (28), Hatneikim Baite (50), and David T Mate (41). All three were taken into custody on the spot and later brought to the police station for further questioning. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the law.Yaba, which is also known as “crazy medicine,” is a tablet form of methamphetamine and is considered a highly dangerous and addictive drug. Officials said the drug has a strong stimulant effect and poses a serious threat to public health, especially to young people.
