Major Drug Busts in Mizoram and Manipur: Five Arrested
Significant Drug Seizures in Northeast India
Two of the three arrested suspected drug peddlers in Senapati district of Manipur (Photo IANS)
Aizawl/Imphal, Sept 20: In a series of operations, security forces in Mizoram and Manipur have confiscated methamphetamine and heroin valued at over Rs 3.68 crore, leading to the arrest of five individuals suspected of drug trafficking, as reported by officials on Sunday.
In Mizoram, a joint operation by the Assam Rifles and the Mizoram Police resulted in the seizure of 2.285 kg of methamphetamine, estimated at around Rs 1.83 crore, from a suspected dealer in Saitual district, according to a defense spokesperson.
Acting on specific intelligence, the team conducted a raid in the T-Junction area of Mimbung-Kawlbem-Ngopa, where they discovered the methamphetamine in the suspect's possession.
The individual and the confiscated drugs were subsequently handed over to the Ngopa Police Station for further investigation and legal proceedings under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985.
In another operation in Mizoram, Assam Rifles personnel, in collaboration with the Mizoram Police, seized 28 grams of heroin valued at approximately Rs 5.6 lakh and apprehended another suspected smuggler near Iron Gate in Champhai district, a known trafficking route from Myanmar.
The Assam Rifles emphasized that these operations demonstrate their ongoing commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and enhancing security along the Mizoram-Myanmar border.
In Manipur, a joint team comprising State Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Assam Rifles arrested three suspected drug peddlers in Senapati district, recovering 2.3 kg of methamphetamine packed in ten separate packets.
The estimated value of the seized drugs is around Rs 1.80 crore.
The two initially detained individuals were identified as Rohim Ali, 23, and Anowar Hussiain Laskar, 48, both from Assam’s Goalpara district. Following further inquiries, their alleged accomplice, Md Nawaz Khan, a resident of Mayai Leikai in Imphal, was also taken into custody.
Additionally, an SUV and Rs 5,000 in cash were recovered during the operation.
These recent seizures highlight the persistent efforts of security agencies to combat narcotics trafficking in the Northeast, with Mizoram and Manipur being critical transit points due to their proximity to Myanmar and the Golden Triangle, a major global hub for illicit drug production.
Officials noted that six districts in Mizoram and five in Manipur share approximately 910 km of largely unfenced international border with Myanmar, rendering the area susceptible to cross-border drug trafficking.