The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 50 kg of methamphetamine, including Yaba tablets and crystal meth, in two operations across Assam and Mizoram. Four persons were arrested, and three vehicles were confiscated during the anti-narcotics operations.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized approximately 50 kg of methamphetamine, including Yaba tablets and crystal meth, during two intelligence-led operations in Assam and Mizoram, dealing a significant setback to an alleged Myanmar-linked drug trafficking network operating through India’s Northeast.
According to officials, four persons have been arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Three vehicles allegedly used for transporting the narcotic substances have also been seized during the operations conducted on October 29 and 30.
The first operation was carried out on October 29 following specific intelligence inputs regarding the transportation of narcotic substances from Zokhawthar towards Aizawl and Silchar. Acting on the information, DRI officials, with operational assistance from the Assam Rifles, intercepted a Mahindra Bolero Camper on the outskirts of Aizawl along the Aizawl-Champhai Road.
During a detailed search of the vehicle, officials recovered 30 brick-shaped packets containing pinkish-orange methamphetamine tablets weighing approximately 30 kg.
Investigators found that the narcotics had been concealed inside a specially constructed cavity in an office table fitted with a storage cabinet. According to preliminary findings, the furniture was allegedly being used as cover cargo to make the vehicle appear to be transporting ordinary household or office materials and avoid suspicion during transportation.
In the second operation, conducted on October 30, DRI officials, again assisted by the Assam Rifles, intercepted an Ashok Leyland truck and a Bolero Camper at Dholai in Assam’s Cachar district, approximately 40 km from Silchar.
A search of the truck resulted in the recovery of 20 packets containing around 20 kg of crystal methamphetamine. The contraband had reportedly been concealed above the driver’s cabin and packed inside tea packets bearing foreign markings, apparently to evade detection by enforcement agencies.
Field tests conducted on the seized substance indicated the presence of amphetamine.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the narcotics were smuggled from Myanmar through routes connecting different parts of the Northeast. The concealment methods used in both operations indicate attempts to transport the prohibited substances under the appearance of legitimate commercial or household goods.
The latest seizures come amid continuing efforts by enforcement agencies to tackle cross-border narcotics trafficking along India’s Northeastern borders. The region’s geographical proximity to Myanmar has made it an important area of concern for agencies monitoring illegal drug transportation networks.
Officials also pointed to two recent major methamphetamine seizures in the region involving approximately 232 kg and 56 kg of the substance by the DRI. These successive recoveries highlight the scale of suspected narcotics trafficking activities and the continuing challenges faced by enforcement agencies in identifying and disrupting supply networks.
The recovery of 50 kg of methamphetamine in the latest operations, along with the arrest of four individuals and seizure of three vehicles, represents another significant enforcement action against suspected drug trafficking activities in Assam and Mizoram.
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The DRI and other security agencies are continuing their efforts to investigate the suspected trafficking network, establish the identities of those involved and trace the wider supply chain behind the seized narcotics.
The operations also underline the importance of intelligence-sharing and coordination between central enforcement agencies and security forces, including the Assam Rifles, in combating illegal drug trafficking across the Northeastern region.
