Assam Rifles seized heroin worth ₹11.40 crore in Mizoram’s Champhai district, arresting three smugglers. Officials linked the drugs to Myanmar trafficking routes, while Tripura CM Manik Saha revealed large-scale arrests and challenges in the region’s ongoing anti-narcotics campaign.
Assam Rifles troops seized heroin valued at around ₹11.40 crore and arrested three alleged drug peddlers, including a woman, in Mizoram’s Champhai district. Officials confirmed the seizure late Tuesday night, terming it a significant success in curbing drug trafficking in the region.
According to a defence spokesperson, the operation was based on specific intelligence inputs regarding drug trafficking along the World Bank Road area near Zokhawthar town, a settlement situated on the Mizoram–Myanmar border. Acting swiftly, the paramilitary personnel conducted surveillance in the suspected zone and intercepted three individuals behaving suspiciously.
The suspects were caught while attempting to retrieve a concealed package. On searching the area, troops discovered 1.377 kilograms of heroin, estimated to be worth ₹11.40 crore in the illegal market. The arrested individuals were later identified as Zarzosanga, Joseph Lalmuansanga, and Malsawmkimi.
The apprehended trio, along with the confiscated narcotics, were handed over to the Customs and Narcotics Department for further investigation and legal proceedings under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Border vulnerability and Myanmar connection
Officials highlighted that most narcotics smuggled into Mizoram originate from Myanmar, which shares a 1,643-kilometre-long unfenced border with four northeastern Indian states — Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram. The porous frontier, particularly through Mizoram’s six districts of Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip, is frequently exploited by transnational cartels.
Myanmar’s Chin state, adjacent to Mizoram, has emerged as a key hub for illicit drug production and smuggling. Apart from heroin, large consignments of methamphetamine tablets — locally known as “Yaba” — are often trafficked through these routes. Smugglers also use the same corridors for exotic wildlife trade and other contraband.
The Assam Rifles, known as the “Sentinels of the Northeast,” play a frontline role in countering these threats by conducting regular border patrols and intelligence-driven operations.
Tripura CM highlights crackdown on peddlers
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Tripura, Chief Minister Manik Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio, informed the state assembly that a massive crackdown on drugs has been underway. Over the past three financial years (2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25), security agencies have arrested 248 individuals for illegal drug consumption and apprehended 2,729 drug peddlers.
Responding to queries from opposition legislators Sudip Roy Barman (Congress) and Sudip Sarkar (CPI-M), Saha said that authorities are still pursuing 28 absconding drug sellers who remain at large. He further pointed out that under the NDPS Act, the conviction rate in Tripura was 11.7% in 2022 and 2023, but dropped to 5% in 2024, reflecting challenges in ensuring successful prosecution in drug-related cases.
The Chief Minister also informed the House that seized narcotics are regularly destroyed under court orders. The High-Level Drug Disposal Committee and State-Level Drug Disposal Committee oversee the incineration of seized drugs at pre-notified sites to prevent diversion back into illegal circulation.
Expanding drug menace in Northeast India
The developments in both Mizoram and Tripura underline the growing drug menace across the Northeast, driven by the region’s geographic vulnerability. Law enforcement agencies argue that the narcotics trade not only fuels addiction among the youth but also finances organized crime and insurgent groups operating in the borderlands.
Experts suggest that stronger international cooperation with Myanmar, enhanced border fencing, and advanced surveillance technologies are essential to curb the inflow of narcotics. At the same time, rehabilitation and awareness campaigns are needed to reduce demand within local communities.
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With seizures like the recent one in Champhai, Assam Rifles continue to play a crucial role in safeguarding India’s borders against narcotics trafficking. However, as Chief Minister Saha’s data shows, the drug problem remains deep-rooted and requires a sustained multi-agency strategy combining enforcement, judicial efficiency, and social reforms.
