Assam Rifles, Mizoram Police seize ₹7.40 crore heroin in twin ops; 3 arrested
Synopsis
In back-to-back intelligence-driven operations on 30 June, the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police dismantled two separate heroin supply chains linked to Manipur, seizing over ₹7.40 crore worth of narcotics and arresting three people. The busts expose the persistence of Golden Triangle drug routes through Mizoram's vast, unfenced international borders.
Key Takeaways
The Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police conducted two joint operations on 30 June , seizing heroin worth over ₹7.40 crore in total.
The first operation at Ngopa, Saitual district recovered 837 grams of heroin worth ₹6.277 crore from a Bolero vehicle; two men from Assam's Cachar district were arrested.
The second operation at the Seling Check Post, Aizawl district netted 150.97 grams of heroin worth ₹1.13 crore ; a woman from Manipur's Chandel district was arrested.
Preliminary investigation links the supply to Manipur's Churachandpur district , a known node on the Golden Triangle trafficking route.
Mizoram shares 510 km of unfenced border with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh , making it a persistent narco-trafficking corridor.
The Assam Rifles, in two separate joint operations with the Mizoram Police, seized heroin worth more than ₹7.40 crore and arrested three alleged drug peddlers, including a woman, officials said on Tuesday, 30 June. The contraband was recovered across two locations in Mizoram, with preliminary investigation pointing to supply chains originating in Manipur.
Operation One: Saitual District Haul
Acting on specific intelligence inputs from a sister agency, the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police conducted a joint operation at Ngopa along the Khawzawl-Sinzawl Road (National Highway-102B) in Saitual district. The joint team intercepted a Bolero pickup vehicle and recovered 64 soap cases containing heroin weighing nearly 837 grams, with an estimated market value of ₹6.277 crore. The narcotics were concealed in multiple hidden compartments inside the vehicle.
Two alleged peddlers were apprehended at the spot — Ajijur Rehman (25) and Sabir Hussain Barbhuiya (36), both residents of Assam's Cachar district. Preliminary investigation revealed the consignment had been transported from Manipur's Churachandpur district for onward distribution in Aizawl. Both accused, along with the seized narcotics, were handed over to the Mizoram Police for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Operation Two: Seling Check Post Intercept
In a separate intelligence-based operation, troops of the Assam Rifles and the Mizoram Police (Seling Check Post under Bawngkawn Police Station) in Aizawl district intercepted a woman from Manipur's Chandel district who was allegedly transporting narcotic substances. The team recovered heroin weighing nearly 150.97 grams, concealed in soap cases, with an estimated street value of approximately ₹1.13 crore. One mobile phone was also seized from her possession. She was handed over to the Mizoram Police for further legal action.
The Bigger Picture: Northeast's Drug Corridor
The twin seizures are part of a broader pattern of narco-trafficking through India's northeastern states. Mizoram shares a 510-km unfenced border with Myanmar and a 318-km unfenced border with Bangladesh. Five districts of Manipur — Churachandpur, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Kamjong, and Ukhrul — together share a 398-km unfenced international border with Myanmar.
Both states have emerged as major drug trafficking corridors due to their proximity to the Golden Triangle — the tri-border region of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand that remains one of the world's largest sources of illicit narcotics. The absence of fencing along these international borders has long been cited by security agencies as a structural vulnerability.
Security Forces' Commitment
According to an official statement, the operations underscore the 'unwavering commitment, operational preparedness and close coordination' between the Assam Rifles and partner agencies in combating narco-trafficking in Mizoram. The force reiterated its resolve to secure the India-Myanmar border and maintain peace and stability in the region. All recovered substances and arrested individuals have been transferred to the Mizoram Police for further investigation.
Point of View
Headline seizures risk becoming routine metrics rather than genuine disruption. The involvement of Assam residents points to a cross-state network that demands coordinated multi-agency response beyond state police handovers.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police joint operations on 30 June?
The two operations together yielded heroin worth more than ₹7.40 crore. The first operation recovered 837 grams of heroin valued at ₹6.277 crore from a vehicle in Saitual district; the second recovered 150.97 grams worth ₹1.13 crore at the Seling Check Post in Aizawl district.
Who were the three people arrested in the Mizoram drug bust?
Two men — Ajijur Rehman (25) and Sabir Hussain Barbhuiya (36), both from Assam's Cachar district — were arrested in the Saitual operation. A woman from Manipur's Chandel district was arrested in the Aizawl operation. All three were handed over to the Mizoram Police.
Where did the heroin originate, according to investigators?
Preliminary investigation indicates the consignment seized in Saitual district was transported from Manipur's Churachandpur district for distribution in Aizawl. The broader supply is linked to the Golden Triangle region via Myanmar.
Why is Mizoram a major drug trafficking route?
Mizoram shares a 510-km unfenced border with Myanmar and a 318-km unfenced border with Bangladesh, making it highly vulnerable to narco-trafficking. Myanmar forms part of the Golden Triangle, one of the world's largest sources of illicit drugs.
What happens next after the arrests?
All three accused and the seized narcotics have been handed over to the Mizoram Police for further investigation and legal proceedings under relevant narcotics laws.
