Drugs Worth Rs 173.73 Crore Seized in Mizoram
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On February 11, the Assam Rifles and police seized Yaba tablets worth Rs 173.73 crore in Mizoram. The operation revealed significant drug trafficking issues along the Myanmar border, highlighting ongoing challenges in combating narcotics smuggling in the region.
Key Takeaways
- Seizure of Rs 173.73 crore worth of Yaba tablets.
- Operation conducted by Assam Rifles and police.
- Drugs smuggled from Myanmar.
- Significant drug trafficking routes identified.
- Government efforts praised in combating drug smuggling.
Aizawl, Feb 11 (NationPress) On Tuesday, officials reported that the Assam Rifles, in collaboration with local police, confiscated highly addictive methamphetamine tablets, commonly referred to as Yaba tablets, valued at Rs 173.73 crore in Mizoram.
A spokesperson for the defense stated that the Assam Rifles and police successfully recovered 57.91 kgs of Methamphetamine tablets, worth Rs 173.73 crore, at the border village of Zokhawthar in the Champhai district, which shares an unfenced border with Myanmar.
Acting on specific intelligence regarding the movement of narcotics, the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police set up an ambush at crossing point 1, Vokte Kai.
The joint operation team identified the movement of suspicious individuals carrying illegal shipments and managed to intercept them. However, the suspects became aware of the operation and fled, leaving their consignment behind. The entire shipment was subsequently handed over to the Police at Zokhawthar for further investigation and legal action.
The spokesperson characterized the seizure of such a substantial amount of drugs as an exceptional victory in the para-military forces’ battle against smuggling.
In a related incident, Tripura Police also confiscated narcotics valued at over Rs 30 crore within the last 48 hours and detained three drug traffickers.
Officials disclosed that police in the Dhalai district of Tripura intercepted a truck carrying 9.24 lakh Yaba tablets worth Rs 28 crore and arrested both the driver and his assistant, who are residents of Assam.
Interrogations revealed that the drugs had been smuggled from Myanmar through Mizoram and Assam before arriving in Tripura, on their way to Bangladesh.
The state of Mizoram shares a 510 km-long unfenced border with Myanmar’s Chin state, which facilitates rampant drug smuggling across its six districts: Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip. Myanmar, which has a 1,643 km unfenced border with four northeastern states—Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km), and Mizoram (510 km)—serves as a significant transit hub for drugs, particularly heroin and methamphetamine tablets, entering India.
From these northeastern states, the drugs are further trafficked into Bangladesh, which shares a 1,880 km border with Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km), and Assam (263 km).
Although a large section of the India-Bangladesh border is fenced, the India-Myanmar border remains completely open, aiding in illegal trafficking.
Chief Minister Manik Saha, who also oversees the Home and Health portfolios, praised the police for their endeavors to combat drug smuggling.
On Monday, Tripura Police intercepted another vehicle in the North Tripura district, recovering 50,000 Yaba tablets worth Rs 2.5 crore from a concealed compartment and apprehending the driver.
