AIZAWL: In two successful raids in the past 20 days, the security agencies have been able to seize narcotics worth over Rs 67 crore from Champhai district of Mizoram.
The recent of the two raids was conducted on Wednesday, when the Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with the Mizoram Police, seized 11.39 kg of methamphetamine tablets and 218 gm of heroin collectively worth Rs 35.19 crore from the district.
Three suspected drug traffickers – Abu Tahir Mazumdar, Zothanluaii, and HT Vanlalzari – have been arrested in connection with the seizure.
Triggered by a credible tip-off, the joint operation also confiscated a vehicle bearing Assam registration number during the operation.
Reports in the local media indicates the haul to be one of the biggest from the state in 2024.
This recent bust marks the second substantial seizure in Mizoram within a span of 20 days. Earlier this month, on February 6, law enforcement agencies seized contraband drugs worth ₹31 crore from the district in question.
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In that operation, a joint team comprising the Criminal Investigation Department (Special Branch) and Champhai police confiscated 10 packets of suspected crystal methamphetamine, weighing 10.385 kg, valued at ₹32.115 crore.
These seizures have yet again highlighted the mounting battle against drug trafficking in the state, a region increasingly identified as a crucial transit route for narcotics.
Mizoram’s Director General of Police (DGP), Anil Shukla, had previously highlighted the state’s vulnerability to drug trafficking during a two-day training session on the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act held in January.
He had urged all stakeholders to perceive their responsibilities not merely as obligations but as a dedicated commitment to safeguarding the well-being of the communities they serve.
In the wake of the ongoing unrest in Manipur, Mizoram has been identified as the latest conduit for drug smuggling from Myanmar.
Drawing from Assam Rifles’ data, the cumulative drug haul over a four-day span in October 2023, had exceeded Rs 100 crore in the state.
