Daijiworld Media Network - Agartala
Agartala, Feb 16: In a significant blow to narcotics trafficking in the Northeast, the Assam Rifles, working alongside the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), confiscated methamphetamine tablets worth more than Rs 45 crore in Tripura and arrested one suspected trafficker, officials confirmed on Monday.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, joint teams intercepted a truck at Mungiakami in Khowai district. A meticulous search of the vehicle led to the discovery of nearly 4.5 lakh methamphetamine tablets, commonly known as Yaba or “party pills.” The seized narcotics, estimated to be valued at ?45 crore in the illicit market, are banned in India due to their highly addictive nature. These tablets typically contain a combination of methamphetamine and caffeine and are often referred to as the “crazy drug.”
Authorities apprehended Hafijul Hoque (42), a resident of Udalguri district in Assam, in connection with the seizure. Both the recovered contraband and the accused have been handed over to the DRI for further investigation and legal action.
Officials described the operation as part of an ongoing effort by the Assam Rifles and DRI to curb the growing threat of drug trafficking in the region and to prevent the spread of narcotics across vulnerable border states.
Separate Operation in Manipur
In a parallel action based on intelligence reports about cigarette smuggling, the Assam Rifles set up a mobile vehicle check post in Noney district of Manipur on Sunday. During the operation, a truck traveling from Churachandpur to Kangpokpi was stopped and searched thoroughly.
The inspection resulted in the seizure of 88 cartons of foreign-made cigarettes valued at approximately Rs 2.9 crore. The consignment, along with the vehicle, has been handed over to the DRI for further legal proceedings. Two individuals were detained in connection with the case.
Preliminary investigations suggest that both the methamphetamine tablets and the smuggled cigarettes may have originated from Myanmar.
Myanmar, which shares a 1,643-km unfenced border with four northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram — remains a critical transit route for illicit drugs, including heroin and methamphetamine, entering India. Authorities continue to strengthen surveillance and enforcement measures along the porous border to counter cross-border smuggling networks.