Aizawl, Apr 15 (PTI) Law enforcement agencies seized drugs and banned liquor worth over Rs 4.79 crore in Mizoram since the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll dates and implementation of the model code of conduct (MCC), a top police officer said on Monday.

Mizoram Director General of Police (DGP) Anil Shukla said that 37.5 kg of heroin and 1.25 kg of cannabis worth over Rs 2.69 crore and liquor, including fermented rice and beer, worth around Rs 2.1 crore have been seized.

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He said that firearms, several ammunition and explosive items were seized since March 16.

"Mizoram police have initiated preparation since December last year to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections. Over Rs 14 crore worth of drugs and alcohol have been seized since January 1 of which over 4.79 crore worth drugs and alcohol were recovered after the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll dates," Shukla told a press conference on Monday.

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A total of 134 people have been arrested in drug-related cases since January, of which 35 people were held after the imposition of the MCC.

Similarly, 167 people were apprehended under liquor prohibition law since January, while 76 of them were nabbed after the announcement of election dates, he said.

Mizoram is a dry state where selling, consumption and manufacturing of liquor is prohibited under Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) or MLP Act that came into force in May, 2019 in the entire state except in the areas of three autonomous district councils in the southern part of the state.

A total of 25 people have been arrested for illegally possessing arms, ammunition and explosives since January and 13 of them were arrested after the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls, he said.

Shukla said that elaborate security arrangements have been made and 12 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed across all 11 districts in addition to over 3,500 state policemen.

He said that movement across the inter-state border and international boundaries will be restricted 48 hours before the closing of voting.

Mizoram shares inter-state boundaries with Assam, Manipur and Tripura and international borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)