In a significant operation against illegal forest resource trade, the Assam Rifles confiscated a consignment of Anchiri (Paris polyphylla), a valuable medicinal plant, valued at Rs 36 lakh in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district. The seizure, comprising 102 bags of Anchiri, occurred near Zorinpui along the Indo-Myanmar border. The consignment was being loaded onto a truck at a river-road junction after being smuggled through the Sekul River.
Anchiri, known for its medicinal properties in treating inflammation, infections, and wounds, is also sought after for pharmaceutical research, leading to its involvement in illegal cross-border trade. Zorinpui, a crucial land check post on the India-Myanmar border, is strategically important due to its proximity to the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar. The region’s vulnerability to cross-border smuggling is heightened by Mizoram’s extensive unfenced international border with Myanmar and a porous, mountainous border with Bangladesh.
Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district, along with other districts like Champhai, Siaha, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip, is often used as a route for smuggling illegal goods from Myanmar. Among the illicit substances trafficked are methamphetamine tablets, popularly known as Yaba or “party tablets”, which are a banned drug in India due to their harmful effects. Myanmar’s Chin State is recognized as a major hub for trafficking narcotics, arms, wildlife, medicinal plants, and other contraband items.
