The Assam Rifles and Customs officials have declared total ban on illegal import of foreign- made cars and other vehicles in the state from Myanmar, a trade which has hitherto been carried on without much complication or apparent obstruction for the last many years. It was also disclosed that the Assam Rifles and Customs officials have irrefutable evidence of three District Transport Officers (DTOs) of the state Government having involved in the illegal import racket by taking huge responsibilities. According to a source close to Imphal Times, it has been learnt that the DTOs of Ukhrul, Churachandpur and Senapati are deeply involved in the racket, and that the registration numbers used on all these illegally imported cars were issued by the three DTOs. The source also added that the necessary documents for driving these vehicles into the state were forged in connivance with the three DTOs and that these operations were carried out in advance by securing the technical and other details of the vehicle and forging the documents and even number plates before the vehicles were actually brought in, pointing to a larger operation spanning the countries. The source further added that for importing a foreign vehicle, an Import License is a requisite and that the required tax should be paid to the Customs Department. It has also come to light that none of the foreign-made vehicles brought into the state from Myanmar have followed the required procedures. With the total ban on illegal import of Foreign-made vehicles being announced, Assam Rifles and Customs officials are set to search out and impound such illegally imported vehicles already in the state.
