Aizawl, Oct 20 (NationPress) The Assam Rifles successfully intercepted a shipment consisting of 90 bags of poppy seeds and 120 bags of areca nuts (betel nuts) valued at Rs one crore in Mizoram, officials reported on Monday.

A defence spokesperson stated that acting on specific intelligence, the Assam Rifles performed a search operation along Farlui road in the Ruantlang area of Mizoram’s border Champhai district, leading to the seizure of the contraband.

This notable recovery emphasizes the Assam Rifles’ zero-tolerance policy against illegal activities in the region and their steadfast commitment to upholding law and order, an official announcement indicated.

The confiscated items have been transferred to the Customs Preventive Force in Champhai for further examination and legal action under applicable laws.

This operation underlines the Assam Rifles’ ongoing efforts to secure the borders of the northeastern region and curtail illegal trade that threatens the socio-economic stability of the area, the statement added.

According to an official, the poppy seeds and areca nuts were illegally brought in from Myanmar and were meant for distribution to other states within India.

Security forces in Manipur and Assam routinely eliminate illegal poppy cultivation as part of the government’s 'War on Drugs' initiative.

Poppy farming is recognized as a significant source for producing illicit opium, with estimates suggesting that three to four kilograms of opium can be harvested per acre of poppy, fetching between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 5 lakh per kilogram on the black market.

Conversely, the smuggling of areca nuts, also referred to as Burmese Betel Nuts, from Myanmar has adversely affected local farmers in the northeastern states, who struggle to sell their products at competitive rates.

Farmers of areca nuts in Tripura and Assam have recently staged protests against the influx of areca nuts from Myanmar.

The Manipur government has frequently stated that the ethnic conflicts in Manipur since May 2023 stem from illegal immigrants from Myanmar, who, after settling unlawfully in the state, began cultivating illicit poppies. Myanmar shares a 1,643 km unfenced border with four northeastern states—Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram—which serves as a crucial transit point for drugs, notably heroin and methamphetamine tablets, entering India. The districts in Mizoram that border Myanmar include Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip, collectively sharing a border of 510 km with Myanmar's Chin state, a hub for smuggling various drugs, exotic wildlife, and other contraband through the northeastern states.