Imphal, July 22: Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has called on national authorities to step up efforts against drug trafficking networks following a major drug bust in Bengaluru involving individuals from the Northeast. Singh urged for coordinated action to dismantle drug cartels and reiterated his vision of a drug-free India.
Commending the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for its recent operation, Singh wrote on social media platform X, “Kudos to the DRI for seizing 7 kg of cocaine worth ₹14.69 crore, busting an interstate smuggling racket.” The operation led to the arrest of two women — Laljamluvai from Manipur and Lalthangliani from Mizoram — highlighting the continued vulnerability of the Northeast as a transit route for narcotics.
Singh emphasized that this incident reflects a “deep-rooted threat” of drug trafficking affecting citizens across India. “We must intensify countermeasures to dismantle these networks and ensure a drug-free India,” he urged.
During his tenure as Chief Minister, Singh had launched the widely recognized “War on Drugs” campaign, which led to the destruction of extensive poppy cultivation in hill districts such as Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, and the arrest of numerous drug peddlers.
Singh has previously drawn links between drug trafficking, illegal immigration from Myanmar, and the unrest in Manipur, claiming that drug mafias play a destabilizing role in the region’s ongoing conflicts.
