Daijiworld Media Network - Aizawl
Aizawl, Oct 23: The Assam Rifles has seized heroin and dry areca nuts, also known as Burmese betel nuts, worth approximately Rs 2.74 crore in two separate operations in Mizoram and arrested four persons, including a Myanmar national, officials said on Friday.
A defence spokesman said the Assam Rifles launched an operation in the Ngur area of Mizoram’s border district of Champhai based on credible intelligence about the transportation of narcotics. During the operation, security personnel intercepted an individual and recovered 1,189 grams of heroin from his possession after a thorough search.
The seized heroin is estimated to be worth approximately Rs 2.37 crore at the prevailing market rate. The apprehended person, identified as a Myanmar national, along with the narcotics, was handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department for further investigation and necessary legal proceedings, the spokesman said.
In a separate operation, the Assam Rifles, in coordination with the Mizoram Police, recovered a consignment of illegally transported dry areca nuts from North Diltlang village in Champhai district.
The joint operation resulted in the seizure of 45 bags containing 3,600 kg of areca nuts, valued at approximately Rs 36.87 lakh. Three persons were arrested in connection with the consignment, while three Bolero pickup vehicles allegedly used to transport the contraband were also seized.
The seized areca nuts, the arrested persons and the vehicles were handed over to the Mizoram Police for further investigation and necessary legal action.
The operations underline the continued efforts of the Assam Rifles, in coordination with civil agencies and state police, to curb the smuggling of narcotics and illegal foreign-origin areca nuts while maintaining security along Mizoram’s international border, the spokesman added.
Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors in the Northeast, largely due to their long and porous international borders with Myanmar and their proximity to the Golden Triangle, one of the world’s major regions associated with illicit narcotics production.
The Golden Triangle, comprising parts of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, has long been linked to the illegal production and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The region remains a significant source of drugs smuggled into several parts of Asia, including India’s northeastern states.
The proximity of the Golden Triangle to the Northeast has posed persistent challenges for security forces and drug enforcement agencies seeking to prevent cross-border trafficking of narcotics and other contraband.
Six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur share a 910-km-long international border with Myanmar. Much of the border remains unfenced, leaving several stretches vulnerable to cross-border smuggling, illegal trade and other unlawful activities involving narcotics and contraband goods.
Security agencies have continued to intensify surveillance and conduct coordinated operations along the border to disrupt smuggling networks and prevent illegal consignments from entering the region.