AIZAWL, April 14: In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police jointly seized methamphetamine tablets worth over ₹54 crore in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district, officials confirmed on Sunday. A Myanmar national has been arrested in connection with the massive drug haul.
Acting on intelligence inputs, the joint operation was launched on Saturday night near Siachangkawn, a border area close to Bangladesh. During the operation, the team recovered 17.946 kilograms of methamphetamine tablets — approximately 1,80,000 tablets commonly known as Yaba or party drugs.
The arrested individual and the seized contraband have been handed over to the Bualpui Police outpost for further investigation.
“This seizure underscores our commitment to combating drug trafficking and protecting the youth from the narcotics menace,” said a spokesperson for Assam Rifles.
A senior Mizoram police official revealed that the tablets were smuggled from Myanmar and were intended for Bangladesh through clandestine routes.
Mizoram, with its extensive and largely unfenced international borders — 510 km with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh — has increasingly become a vital transit point for drug and wildlife trafficking.
Expressing deep concern over the growing issue of drug abuse in the state, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma urged citizens to come together and support efforts to make Mizoram drug-free. He emphasized the need for both legal reforms and community-based measures to curb trafficking.
The Chief Minister also advocated for the use of traditional Mizo social sanctions as a potential tool in the fight against drug-related crimes.
Myanmar’s Chin State has emerged as a prominent hub for smuggling contraband, with several Mizoram districts — including Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip — functioning as key transit zones for illegal trade.
