Imphal, July 19: Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has sounded the alarm over the growing drug trafficking menace in the Northeast, describing it as a “grave threat” to India’s future and national security. His warning follows a major narcotics bust in Mizoram where the Assam Rifles and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized heroin and methamphetamine worth ₹36.79 crore.
Lauding the Assam Rifles for seizing a massive consignment of drugs in Mizoram, Singh in a post on X said, “I sincerely appreciate the Assam Rifles and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for their coordinated operation in Mizoram, which led to the seizure of drugs worth Rs 36.79 crore. Such decisive action deserves recognition and continued support.”
“This massive drug smuggling network operating through the Northeast is a grave threat to the future of our country. During my tenure as Chief Minister, I had launched an all-out crackdown on drug trafficking and poppy cultivation in Manipur. That fight must continue with greater urgency,” Singh added.
Highlighting the importance of continued vigilance, Singh recalled his government’s anti-drug campaign in Manipur and emphasized the need for a united front against narco-terrorism.
In a related development, a special court in Mizoram sentenced 45-year-old Seikholen Khongsai from Churachandpur, Manipur, to 14 years in prison for trafficking 1.74 kg of heroin. Arrested in August 2023 near Kolasib, Khongsai was found guilty under the NDPS Act, while three co-accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
