Assam Rifles seized 5.789 kg of methamphetamine tablets worth approximately ₹4.69 crore during an operation in Mizoram’s Champhai district. One person was detained and handed over to police as authorities suspect the drugs were smuggled from Myanmar.
In a major crackdown on drug trafficking in the Northeast, Assam Rifles personnel under the Indian Army’s Spear Corps seized 5.789 kg of methamphetamine tablets worth approximately ₹4.69 crore in Mizoram’s Champhai district. One person was taken into custody during the operation and subsequently handed over to the police for further investigation and legal proceedings.
According to officials, the operation was conducted by an Assam Rifles unit following intelligence inputs regarding suspected narcotics trafficking in the border district. During the operation, troops intercepted a suspected drug consignment and recovered 5.789 kg of methamphetamine tablets. The estimated market value of the seized narcotics is around ₹4.69 crore.
The individual apprehended in connection with the seizure, along with the recovered contraband, was handed over to the local police for further investigation and necessary legal action. Preliminary suspicion suggests that the narcotics may have been smuggled into Mizoram from neighbouring Myanmar, although further investigation is expected to establish the exact source and intended destination of the consignment.
The latest recovery highlights continuing concerns over cross-border drug trafficking through Mizoram, which shares an international boundary with Myanmar and lies close to the notorious Golden Triangle, a region historically associated with illicit drug production and trafficking.
Security agencies have repeatedly identified Mizoram and other northeastern states as important transit routes for narcotics entering India from neighbouring countries. Assam Rifles, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and other enforcement agencies have intensified operations to disrupt these illegal networks.
In August this year, Assam Rifles and the DRI carried out separate operations in Mizoram and Assam, resulting in the seizure of substantial quantities of suspected methamphetamine tablets and the arrest of two individuals under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
On August 28, DRI officials and personnel of the 38 Battalion of Assam Rifles intercepted a suspected 12-wheeler truck at Lalpani, approximately 40 km from Silchar, near the Assam-Manipur border. The vehicle was identified among a convoy arriving from Jiribam in Manipur.
A detailed search revealed a specially constructed concealed cavity behind the driver’s seat inside the cabin. Officials recovered 36 packets weighing approximately one kilogram each and 100 smaller packets weighing 200 grams each. The pinkish-orange tablets were suspected to be methamphetamine. The recovered 56 kg consignment and the truck were seized under the NDPS Act, while the driver was taken into custody.
In another operation on August 18, DRI officials intercepted a car at Bung Bangla along the Aizawl-Champhai Road, around 30 km from Aizawl. A search uncovered 20 kg of suspected methamphetamine tablets concealed in specially designed compartments within the vehicle. Preliminary investigation indicated that the consignment had entered Mizoram from Myanmar through the Zokhawthar-Champhai sector.
Methamphetamine is a highly potent synthetic psychostimulant with a significant potential for abuse and dependence. Its consumption can cause serious health complications, including cardiovascular problems, agitation, paranoia and psychosis. Prolonged use can also result in severe neurological and behavioural damage.
The substance is classified as a psychotropic substance under the NDPS Act, 1985, which imposes stringent penalties for its illegal manufacture, possession, transportation and trafficking.
| Also Read: DLC Campaign 5.0 Records Over 20.48 Lakh Defence Pensioner Certifications |
Meanwhile, the Union Government has been strengthening anti-narcotics measures in northeastern states under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, with particular attention to regions sharing international borders.
The latest seizure in Champhai underscores the continuing challenge of cross-border narcotics smuggling and the need for coordinated enforcement efforts to prevent illegal drugs from entering the country.
