Khowai Police arrested an alleged cannabis smuggler and seized approximately 40 kilograms of cannabis during a special operation on Sunday afternoon in the Kargil Tilla area under Khowai Police Station.

According to Officer-in-Charge Krishnadhan Sarkar, the police acted on a confidential tip-off and intercepted a high-speed three-wheeler (Tomtom) bearing registration number TR-04 C-2898 near Kargil Tilla on the road towards Hatkata at around 2:00 p.m. During the search, officers recovered around 40 kg of cannabis, which has an estimated black-market value of Rs 6 lakh, police said.

Police arrested one suspected smuggler at the scene, while another person who was reportedly travelling in the vehicle managed to escape. A search has been launched to trace and apprehend the absconding suspect.

The seized cannabis and the vehicle were taken to Khowai Police Station, where a case has been registered. Further investigation is underway to determine whether the accused are part of a larger drug trafficking network.

The incident has also raised concerns among local residents, who believe that drug traffickers may be increasingly avoiding major roads and using smaller interior routes to evade police surveillance.