Aizawl, March 9 (IANS): Security forces in Mizoram have seized heroin and a large cache of explosives -- cumulatively valued at around Rs 47.35 crore, and arrested three persons in this connection, an official said on Friday.

The heroin was smuggled from neighbouring Myanmar. Sources in the Assam Rifles said that along with the para-military forces and accompanied by Mizoram Police, heroin weighing 5,394 gm valued at Rs 37.75 crore was recovered at Melbuk Road Junction, Zokhawthar in Mizoram's Champhai district on March 7.

In a separate joint operation by the Assam Rifles and the police, heroin weighing 1,376 gm valued at Rs 9.6 crore was recovered from the same Zokhawthar area on Thursday.

The heroin and apprehended persons have been handed over to the police in Zokhawthar for further legal proceedings.

In another incident, the Assam Rifles troopers, acting on an input, intercepted a vehicle on the Sangau-Pangkhua Road in Lawngtlai district in Mizoram. Following searches, 3,000 rounds of cartridges and 10 Passive Night Sight (PNS) devices were seized on Thursday.

The driver of the vehicle was apprehended and, along with the recovered items, handed over to the police.