Assam Rifles, in coordination with Mizoram Police, seized methamphetamine tablets worth over ₹38.78 crore in two separate operations in Champhai district, Mizoram, arresting three drug peddlers — including one Myanmar national — officials confirmed on Monday, 4 May.

Key Details of the Twin Operations

In the first operation, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police recovered 3.46 kg of methamphetamine tablets valued at approximately ₹10.40 crore from Zokhawthar in Champhai district, a border town that shares an unfenced boundary with Myanmar. The seized drugs were handed over to Zokhawthar police station for further investigation and legal proceedings.

In the second operation, security forces recovered 9.462 kg of methamphetamine tablets worth ₹28.386 crore following a vehicle search at the Melbuk Gate area on World Bank Road in the same Zokhawthar region. The operation led to the arrest of two Indian nationals and one Myanmar national. The seized drugs, the vehicle, and the apprehended individuals were all handed over to Zokhawthar police station for further action.

What Are Methamphetamine Tablets

Methamphetamine tablets — commonly known as Yaba or party tablets — contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are widely misused as high-dosage stimulants across Bangladesh and neighbouring countries. The substance remains strictly prohibited in India due to its highly addictive and harmful nature. Various cough syrups containing codeine phosphate are also frequently trafficked and abused illegally across the India-Bangladesh corridor.

Why Mizoram Remains Vulnerable

Mizoram's mountainous terrain and strategic geography make it a persistent pressure point for narcotics trafficking. The state shares a 510-km-long unfenced international border with Myanmar and a 318-km-long porous border with Bangladesh — both largely unguarded stretches that smugglers routinely exploit.

Myanmar's Chin State is widely regarded as a major hub for trafficking narcotics, arms and ammunition, exotic wildlife, rare medicinal plants, and other contraband. Illicit goods are frequently smuggled through six districts of Mizoram — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip — posing significant and ongoing challenges to law enforcement agencies.

Assam Rifles' Continued Anti-Narcotics Push

According to a defence spokesman, the twin operations were carried out as part of Assam Rifles' sustained efforts to prevent illegal activities and ensure peace and stability along Mizoram's border areas. Officials stated that the operations highlight the continued commitment of both Assam Rifles and local law enforcement to curbing drug trafficking in the region.

With border smuggling networks reportedly adapting to increased surveillance, security agencies are expected to intensify coordinated operations along the Myanmar frontier in the weeks ahead.