Assam Rifles seize ₹5 crore meth tablets in Tripura; anti-drug drive spans NE
Synopsis
Assam Rifles and Customs jointly recovered 50,000 methamphetamine tablets worth over ₹5 crore from an abandoned vehicle in Tripura's Khowai district — while simultaneously running community outreach in Mizoram and a 220-personnel narcotics training drive in Manipur. The coordinated, three-state blitz signals a qualitative shift in how security forces are tackling the Yaba corridor along the India-Myanmar border.
Key Takeaways
Assam Rifles and Customs Department seized approximately 50,000 methamphetamine tablets worth over ₹5 crore in Khowai district, Tripura on 27 June .
The vehicle's driver fled into a densely populated area on spotting security personnel and remains at large; the vehicle was seized.
In Mizoram , around 40 community leaders participated in civil-military interaction programmes in Champhai and Lawngtlai districts.
In Manipur , nearly 220 Army and Assam Rifles personnel underwent narcotics training with the NCB, Imphal at Mantripukhri Garrison.
Training covered the NDPS Act and the newly enforced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to sharpen legal enforcement capability.
The Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with the Customs Department, seized approximately 50,000 methamphetamine tablets valued at over ₹5 crore from the Mungiakami area of Khowai district, Tripura, on Saturday, 27 June. The operation, carried out on the basis of specific intelligence inputs, marks one of the largest single narcotics hauls in the state this year and underscores the scale of drug trafficking pressure along India's northeastern frontier.
How the Operation Unfolded
Acting on intelligence, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Customs personnel intercepted a vehicle suspected of transporting narcotics in the Mungiakami area. According to a defence spokesman, the driver fled into a densely populated locality on noticing security personnel, evading arrest. A thorough search of the abandoned vehicle yielded the methamphetamine consignment. Both the recovered tablets and the seized vehicle have been handed over to the Customs Department for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Community Outreach in Mizoram
Simultaneously, in Mizoram, the Assam Rifles organised interaction programmes with village authorities, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and Young Mizo Association (YMA) leaders at Zokhawthar, Khawbung, and Farkawn in Champhai district, and Sangau in Lawngtlai district. Around 40 participants — including Village Council Presidents, CSO representatives, and YMA leaders — attended the sessions. Discussions covered border security, curbing drug trafficking, local grievances, and strengthening civil-military coordination along the India-Myanmar border.
Training Drive in Manipur
In Manipur, the Assam Rifles, in collaboration with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Imphal, conducted a high-impact Training-cum-Awareness Programme at the Mantripukhri Garrison in Imphal East district. The programme was aligned with this year's global theme, 'World Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses'. Nearly 220 personnel from the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles participated.
Experts from the NCB led technical sessions on the evolving narcotics landscape in Manipur, methods for identifying contraband substances, and the latest trafficking trends. Participants were also trained on provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the newly enforced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to strengthen legal enforcement capability.
Broader Significance for the Northeast
The coordinated operations across Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur reflect an intensifying multi-agency push to dismantle drug networks that exploit porous borders with Myanmar. Methamphetamine tablets — commonly known as 'Yaba' — have become the dominant contraband of choice along this corridor, with seizures rising sharply over the past two years. This is the latest in a series of major drug busts by the Assam Rifles in the region, pointing to both the persistence of trafficking networks and the increasing effectiveness of intelligence-led operations. The next phase of enforcement is expected to focus on dismantling the supply chain beyond the point of interception.
Point of View
Intelligence-and-community model. What remains unaddressed is the demand side: seizures and awareness drives do not by themselves shrink the consumer base that makes the Yaba corridor profitable. Without coordinated de-addiction infrastructure in border districts, enforcement alone will keep producing headline numbers without structural change.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Tripura drug operation on 27 June?
Assam Rifles and the Customs Department recovered approximately 50,000 methamphetamine tablets with a market value of over ₹5 crore from a vehicle in the Mungiakami area of Khowai district, Tripura. The vehicle and the narcotics have been handed over to the Customs Department for legal action.
Was anyone arrested in the Tripura drug bust?
No arrest was made. According to a defence spokesman, the driver of the intercepted vehicle fled into a densely populated area on noticing security personnel and evaded arrest. Investigation is ongoing under the Customs Department.
What is the Assam Rifles doing to counter drug trafficking in Mizoram?
The Assam Rifles organised community interaction programmes at Zokhawthar, Khawbung, Farkawn in Champhai district, and Sangau in Lawngtlai district, engaging around 40 village leaders, CSO representatives, and YMA members. The sessions focused on border security, curbing drug trafficking, and strengthening civil-military coordination along the India-Myanmar border.
What was the purpose of the narcotics training programme in Manipur?
The Training-cum-Awareness Programme at Mantripukhri Garrison, Imphal East, was conducted jointly by the Assam Rifles and the NCB to equip nearly 220 security personnel with advanced skills to identify contraband, understand trafficking trends, and apply the NDPS Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in enforcement operations.
Why is drug trafficking a persistent problem in Northeast India?
Northeast India shares a long, porous border with Myanmar, a major source of methamphetamine tablets (commonly called Yaba). Difficult terrain, limited border infrastructure, and cross-border networks make the corridor a significant trafficking route, with seizures by security forces rising sharply in recent years.
