Indian army officer arrested smuggling drugs to Myanmar

Tuesday, 26 February 2013 13:13 Mizzima News

Indian media have reported that a senior Indian army official has been arrested for attempting to smuggle illegal substances across the Myanmar border.

Lt-Col Ajay Chaudhary, who works as a press officer for India's Ministry of Defense, was intercepted by police at Pallel while leading a convoy of cars carrying a large amount of the banned drug pseudo-ephedrine toward the Myanmar border.

Myanmar drug cartels reportedly use pseudo-ephedrine to manufacture methamphetamine, which is then sent back to India and Thailand.

“The matter is under investigation and strict action will be taken as per the law of the land,” army spokesperson Col. Jagdeep Dahiya told DNA in Delhi.

“He [Chaudhary] initially said he thought the merchandise was the personal belongings of his friend, an assistant manager with a private airlines who was traveling with him,” the police said, adding that, “he kept quiet when he was questioned further.”

An NCB official said to the Times of India that, “Myanmar has become a global hub of methamphetamine production. Smuggling of pseudo-ephedrine to the country has gone up alarmingly in the past few months because of high demand and lucrative prices being offered.”
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