The Assam Rifles, operating in coordination with state law enforcement agencies, seized methamphetamine tablets and foreign-origin cigarettes worth approximately ₹10 crore across three separate operations in Mizoram on 10 October, with two alleged smugglers arrested in the process, according to officials. The operations were conducted in Champhai District and Aizawl, targeting known transhipment routes along the state's porous border with Myanmar.

Operation One: 11 kg of Methamphetamine Recovered in Champhai

Acting on credible intelligence about narcotics transhipment in the Tlangsam areas of Champhai District, Assam Rifles troops launched a targeted search operation. The team recovered 11 kg of methamphetamine tablets, packed across ten boxes, with an estimated street value of approximately ₹8.80 crore. The seized contraband was subsequently handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, Champhai, for further investigation and legal proceedings.

Methamphetamine tablets — commonly referred to as Yaba or 'party tablets' — contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine. The substance is classified as a banned drug in India and is reportedly misused as a high-dosage narcotic in Bangladesh and several neighbouring countries.

Operation Two: Foreign Cigarettes and One Arrest in Bethel

In a second operation, also in Champhai District, Assam Rifles acted on specific intelligence regarding contraband smuggling in the Bethel area. Troops recovered 30 cases of illegal foreign-origin V Cigarettes, valued at approximately ₹72 lakh. One individual was apprehended during the operation. Both the seized goods and the arrested person were handed over to the Legal Metrology Department, Champhai, for further proceedings.

Operation Three: Joint Raid at Seling Nets 1.89 Lakh Cigarette Sticks

In a joint operation with the Aizawl District Executive Force, Assam Rifles conducted a third raid at Seling. The team recovered 14 master boxes and 249 boxes of foreign-origin cigarettes, totalling 1,89,800 cigarette sticks, valued at approximately ₹47.45 lakh. One person was apprehended and one vehicle carrying the contraband was seized. The individual, along with the cigarettes and the car, was taken into custody by the Aizawl District Executive Force for legal action.

Why Mizoram Remains a Key Smuggling Corridor

Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors in India's Northeast, owing to their long and largely unfenced international borders with Myanmar and their proximity to the Golden Triangle — one of the world's most significant illicit narcotics-producing regions. According to officials, six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur together share approximately 910 km of international border with Myanmar, rendering the region structurally vulnerable to cross-border smuggling of narcotics and other contraband.

These operations, according to an Assam Rifles statement, reflect the force's continued commitment — in close coordination with civil agencies — to curbing contraband smuggling and maintaining security across Mizoram. Further investigations are underway, and additional arrests cannot be ruled out.