Daijiworld Media Network - Aizawl
Aizawl, Oct 14: The Assam Rifles, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies, has seized methamphetamine tablets, foreign-made cigarettes and illegally transported urea fertiliser worth around Rs 6.19 crore in three separate operations in Mizoram and arrested six suspected smugglers and drug peddlers, officials said on Wednesday.
A defence spokesman said the Assam Rifles launched an operation in the Khawlailung area of Serchhip district on Tuesday night following specific intelligence inputs about the smuggling of contraband items.
During the operation, the force recovered 226 cases of smuggled foreign-origin cigarettes valued at approximately Rs 5.42 crore. Three suspected smugglers were also apprehended.
The seized cigarettes and the apprehended individuals were subsequently handed over to the Legal Metrology Department in Serchhip for further investigation and necessary legal proceedings.
In a second operation, the Assam Rifles, in coordination with the Mizoram Police, apprehended two women, including a Myanmar national, at Ramhlun South in Aizawl. The joint team seized 950 grams of methamphetamine, comprising 9,200 tablets, valued at approximately Rs 76 lakh.
The two women, along with the seized narcotics, were handed over to Bawngkawn Police Station for further legal proceedings under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
In the third operation, the Assam Rifles acted on specific intelligence inputs received from its sources and launched an operation in the Ngopa area of Saitual district.
The personnel recovered 109 bags of illegally transported urea fertiliser valued at around Rs 98,000. One person was apprehended, and a vehicle allegedly used to transport the fertiliser was seized.
The fertiliser, vehicle and apprehended individual were handed over to the District Agriculture Officer in Saitual for further legal proceedings under the applicable provisions of law.
According to an Assam Rifles statement, the seizures reflect the force's continued commitment to curbing illegal smuggling activities in coordination with civil agencies and ensuring the safety and security of Mizoram's border population.
The coordinated operations form part of ongoing efforts by security forces and law enforcement agencies to check the smuggling of narcotics and other contraband in the northeastern region, particularly in areas vulnerable to cross-border illegal trade.
Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors in the Northeast due to their long and porous international borders with Myanmar and their proximity to the Golden Triangle, one of the world's major illicit narcotics-producing regions.
The Golden Triangle, comprising parts of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, has long been associated with the illicit production and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Its proximity to India's northeastern states continues to pose challenges for security forces and drug enforcement agencies.
Six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur share around 910 km of international border with Myanmar. Much of the border remains unfenced, leaving the region vulnerable to the cross-border smuggling of narcotics, cigarettes, fertiliser and other contraband items.