SILCHAR/AIZAWL, NOV 1 (IANS): The Assam Rifles seized narcotics worth around Rs 46.25 crore in two separate operations in southern Assam and Mizoram and arrested five alleged drug peddlers, officials said on Sunday.
A total of 27.813 kg of methamphetamine tablets, commonly known as Yaba or party tablets, was seized. Yaba tablets contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are popularly called the ‘crazy drug’. These highly addictive synthetic drugs are banned in India and remain among the major narcotics smuggled from Myanmar into the Northeast.
In a joint operation with the Silchar-based Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the Assam Rifles seized 20 kg of crystal methamphetamine, valued at around Rs 40 crore, at Dholai Bazar in Cachar district. A defence spokesman said the recovery was a significant breakthrough against narcotics trafficking and dealt a major blow to organised synthetic drug networks. It was considered one of the biggest crystal methamphetamine seizures in the region.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the Assam Rifles and DRI team launched the operation and intercepted a suspected narcotics consignment, apprehending three persons allegedly involved in its transportation. A search led to the recovery of 20 packets weighing around 20 kg. Three mobile phones and two vehicles were also seized.
A preliminary assessment indicated that the consignment originated in neighbouring Mizoram and was being transported through Silchar, allegedly used as a transit point for onward movement to mainland India. The arrested persons, contraband and seized items were handed over to the DRI for investigation and legal proceedings.
In a separate operation, the Assam Rifles recovered 7.813 kg of methamphetamine tablets, valued at approximately Rs 6.25 crore, from Ramthar North in Aizawl district, Mizoram. Two persons were arrested. The narcotics and those apprehended were handed over to Mizoram Police for legal proceedings under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
An official statement said the operations reflected the Assam Rifles’ continued commitment to combating drug trafficking and safeguarding the youth and communities of Mizoram through intelligence-sharing and coordination among enforcement agencies. It added that the seizures underscored the effectiveness of precise intelligence inputs, technical surveillance and coordinated operations with other law enforcement agencies.
Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors because of their long, porous borders with Myanmar and proximity to the Golden Triangle, a major illicit narcotics-producing region.
Six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur share a 910-km international border with Myanmar, leaving the two states vulnerable to cross-border drug smuggling and trafficking across the wider North Eastern region too.
Monday, November 2, 2026