A joint operation by Assam Rifles and Customs officials led to the seizure of smuggled areca nuts worth ₹1.08 crore in Mizoram’s Champhai district, officials confirmed on Saturday.
Acting on intelligence inputs, security forces intercepted 180 bags of Burmese betel nuts at Zote, near the Myanmar border, on Friday. The consignment was illegally transported from Myanmar and hidden in a jungle. The confiscated contraband was handed over to the Customs Preventive Force in Champhai for further legal action.
Champhai, which shares an unfenced border with Myanmar, has become a hotspot for illegal trade, including drugs, arms, foreign cigarettes, and exotic wildlife. Myanmar’s Chin state is a key point for smuggling routes into Mizoram.
Illegal areca nut imports from Myanmar have severely impacted farmers in Assam and Tripura, where betel nut cultivation is widespread. Assam had imposed transportation restrictions due to these smuggled consignments, affecting trade in the Northeast. Following the intervention of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, Assam eased restrictions to facilitate smooth transportation.
In August last year, Assam and Mizoram reaffirmed their commitment to preventing the illegal transport of areca nuts during a ministerial-level border meeting. Authorities continue to maintain a strict watch on smuggling activities along the Indo-Myanmar border.
