The Mizoram Peoples Forum, an impartial organization led by the church, diligently monitors election expenses and the behavior of political parties and candidates.
In Guwahati, the discovery of substantial cash and alcohol seizures, which may be intended to sway voters, is a familiar occurrence before Indian elections.
However, in Mizoram, which is gearing up for elections, authorities have confiscated substantial quantities of illegal drugs, cigarettes, explosives, and even an orangutan, with significantly less cash, in anticipation of the November 7th vote. The total value of these seizures amounts to over ₹36 crore.
As of Wednesday, Mizoram’s Chief Electoral Officer, Madhup Vyas, reported that only ₹8110 in unaccounted cash had been confiscated by October 24. In contrast, they have recovered over 44,000 liters of liquor valued at ₹1.16 crore.
Vyas attributed these seizures to effective collaboration among all enforcement agencies, including the state police, Assam Rifles, the excise department, and local organizations.
The CEO highlighted the significance of the Mizoram Peoples Forum (MPF), an impartial organization led by the church, which maintains a rigorous watch over election expenditures and the behavior of political parties and candidates.
Prior to the election, MPF entered into an agreement with the four primary political parties in the state, namely the Mizo National Front, Congress, Zoram People’s Movement, and Bharatiya Janata Party, in which they committed not to provide incentives in cash or kind to voters. According to Vyas, this agreement has played a crucial role in maintaining minimal unaccounted cash flow.
It’s worth noting that Mizoram officially became a dry state in May 2019, fulfilling the campaign promise of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) government by discontinuing the controlled sale of liquor, which had been introduced by the previous Congress government in January 2015.
Nonetheless, in August of the previous year, the government permitted the processing and unrestricted sale of locally grown grapes in response to public outcry over the confiscation of significant quantities of locally processed wine. The prohibition on other alcoholic beverages remains in effect.
Authorities have also confiscated approximately 4.5 kg of heroin valued at over ₹19 crore, around 400,000 Methamphetamine tablets worth ₹4.28 crore, 7100 kg of poppy seeds valued at nearly ₹57 lakhs, over 2 million sticks of cigarettes worth ₹8.84 crore, and 10 liters of cough syrup valued at ₹21,400.
Madhup Vyas commented on these significant drug seizures, stating, “There are substantial drug confiscations due to Mizoram’s proximity to Myanmar, which is part of the Golden Triangle, a drug route that also includes Thailand and Laos. Smugglers are attempting to use the Mizoram route for drug transportation due to the unrest in Manipur, another state bordering Myanmar. However, our vigilance has been strong, leading to these substantial seizures.”
Other seizures encompass a Honda City car valued at ₹2 lakhs, timber worth over ₹22 lakhs, and even an orangutan, suspected to have been smuggled in from neighboring Myanmar, with an estimated value of ₹10 lakhs. Additionally, there were seventy boxes of gelatin and 1500 meters of cortex, together valued at ₹38 lakhs.
Lalramliana Pachau, the general secretary of MPF, explained the reduced cash seizures, noting, “The lower cash seizures can be attributed to the agreement between political parties and MPF, which has reduced cash circulation. Nowadays, online transactions are possible, but in Mizoram, particularly in rural areas, this might not be a prevalent option.
