The Assam Rifles, in collaboration with the Excise and Narcotics Department, confiscated methamphetamine tablets valued at around Rs 3.30 crore in Champhai district, Mizoram. Acting on specific intelligence, the joint operation recovered 1.1 kg of methamphetamine tablets hidden in an abandoned motorcycle in the Zote area of Champhai district. The seized narcotic substance is estimated to have a significant market value.
The contraband, along with the motorcycle, was handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department for further investigation under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. This seizure highlights the Assam Rifles’ ongoing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and ensure the safety of border residents in Mizoram. The force remains vigilant against cross-border smuggling activities and collaborates closely with civil authorities to combat narcotics trafficking.
Methamphetamine tablets, also known as Yaba or “party tablets,” are a potent combination of methamphetamine and caffeine and are commonly abused as stimulant drugs in various countries, including Bangladesh and India. These tablets, along with cough syrups containing Codeine Phosphate, are illegally smuggled and misused as narcotic substances. Due to their addictive nature and health risks, methamphetamine is banned in India.
Mizoram and Manipur have become significant drug trafficking routes in the Northeast due to their unfenced international borders with Myanmar, a part of the notorious “Golden Triangle” region known for illicit narcotics production. Mizoram shares a 510-km unfenced border with Myanmar and a 318-km border with Bangladesh, making it susceptible to trans-border smuggling. Similarly, Manipur’s 398-km unfenced border with Myanmar is exploited by drug trafficking syndicates.
Security agencies are concerned about the porous borders of Mizoram and Manipur facilitating the movement of narcotics from the Golden Triangle region. This underscores the necessity for sustained coordinated efforts to combat drug trafficking in the Northeast region.
