Assam Rifles and DRI seized methamphetamine tablets worth over ₹16 crore in Tripura, arresting a truck driver. The major anti-drug operation highlights growing concerns over cross-border narcotics trafficking from Myanmar through Northeast India.
In a major blow to transnational drug trafficking networks, the Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), seized a massive consignment of methamphetamine tablets worth more than ₹16 crore in Tripura. The operation, conducted late Saturday night, resulted in the arrest of the truck driver transporting the narcotics, officials confirmed on Sunday.
According to a defence spokesperson, the operation was launched based on specific and credible intelligence inputs about the movement of illegal drugs through Tripura’s Khowai district. Acting swiftly on the tip-off, a joint team of Assam Rifles and DRI personnel established surveillance along National Highway-8, a key transit route frequently exploited by drug traffickers.
During the operation, the team intercepted a truck traveling along the highway. A detailed and methodical search of the vehicle led to the recovery of approximately 1.60 lakh methamphetamine tablets concealed inside. The seized narcotics, commonly known as Yaba or party tablets, are highly addictive and banned under Indian law. The truck used for transportation was also confiscated as part of the operation.
The arrested driver has been identified as a resident of Sribhumi district in southern Assam, formerly known as Karimganj. He has been taken into custody for further interrogation, and officials said that a deeper investigation is underway to identify the larger network involved in the smuggling operation, including financiers, suppliers, and intended recipients.
Methamphetamine tablets, often referred to among users as “crazy drugs,” contain a dangerous combination of methamphetamine and caffeine. These substances pose severe risks to physical and mental health and have been a growing concern for law enforcement agencies across the northeastern region.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the seized consignment was smuggled from Myanmar and routed through Mizoram and southern Assam before entering Tripura. Authorities suspect that the drugs were either meant for delivery to a major drug kingpin within India or intended for further trafficking into Bangladesh.
Tripura’s geographical location makes it particularly vulnerable to smuggling activities. The state shares an 856-kilometre-long international border with Bangladesh and is surrounded by the neighbouring country on three sides. This strategic but sensitive positioning has long posed challenges for border security agencies.
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Myanmar, which shares a 1,643-kilometre largely unfenced border with several northeastern states including Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram, continues to serve as a major transit point for illegal drugs such as heroin and methamphetamine entering India.
Officials described the seizure, made just ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, as a significant milestone in the ongoing fight against narcotics trafficking. The Assam Rifles reiterated their commitment to intensifying anti-drug operations and dismantling organized crime networks operating in the region.
