Imphal, July 12: Deployed to combat growing insurgency in Manipur, troops of the Assam Rifles took time off to extend a helping hand to a non-governmental organisation which has been actively campaigning against substance abuse and alcoholism in the state.

Personnel of the 32 Assam Rifles handed over banned tablets and syrup valued at Rs 17,280 in the local market to volunteers of the All Manipur Anti-Drug Association last evening.

Troops of the paramilitary force posted at Manipur University in Imphal West, led by Maj. N.B. Singh, brought nearly 200 strips of Spasmoproxyvon, 10 pieces of Nitrosun tablets and four bottles of Recodex to the association’s head-office here.

The Assam Rifles officer informed the volunteers of the association that they seized the drugs from Lilong in Thoubal district yesterday. But no arrests were made.

Spasmoproxyvon, Nitrosun and Recodex became popular with addicts after the spread of HIV/AIDS through shared syringes.

In a separate raid, the association’s activists also seized 500 bottles of Recodex and 54 strips of Spasmoproxyvon from a drug pusher identified as Md Ayub Khan Makakmayum from the Lilong area yesterday.

Though a state health department notification some years ago banned the sale of these drugs without a prescription, they are available in the black market.

This is not the first time that the Assam Rifles handed over seized drugs or illicit liquor to the anti-drug organisation.

“Yesterday’s is the fourth time that the troops have handed over banned medicines or illicit liquor,” a member of the association said today.

For instance, troops of the same Assam Rifles unit seized 2,000 litres of country liquor from Ngariyan on December 12 last year. The country brew was seized while some bootleggers were transporting it from Andro in Imphal East to the state capital. Konjengbam Meghachandra, secretary of the association, said the Assam Rifles personnel were cooperating with the volunteers of the anti-drug organisation.

But the state police are not amused. “Assam Rifles should hand over a seized item either to the local police or the Narcotics Control Bureau and not to an NGO,” a senior police officer said.

In the past, there have been instances where security forces have destroyed seized ganja.