Agartala: In a major blow to drug trafficking networks in the Northeast, the Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), seized methamphetamine tablets valued at more than Rs 16 crore in Tripura and arrested one person, officials said on Sunday.
The seizure followed a late-night operation on Saturday in Tripura’s Khowai district, launched on the basis of specific intelligence inputs about the movement of narcotics.
Acting on the tip-off, the joint team intercepted a truck travelling along National Highway-8.
A thorough search of the vehicle led to the recovery of around 1.60 lakh methamphetamine tablets, commonly known as Yaba or party tablets.
The truck used to transport the contraband was seized, and the driver was taken into custody.
Officials identified the arrested person as a resident of Sribhumi district in southern Assam, formerly Karimganj.
A defence spokesperson said further investigation is underway to trace the larger network involved in the smuggling operation.
Preliminary findings indicate that the consignment may have originated in Myanmar and was routed through Mizoram and southern Assam before entering Tripura.
Authorities suspect the drugs were either meant for delivery to a major drug trafficker or intended for onward smuggling into Bangladesh.
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Methamphetamine tablets, often referred to among users as “crazy drugs,” contain a combination of methamphetamine and caffeine and are banned in India due to their highly addictive nature.
Officials said the seizure, made ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, underscores sustained efforts by security agencies to curb the drug trade in the region.
Tripura’s long and porous international border with Bangladesh, along with Myanmar’s extensive unfenced boundary with several northeastern states, has made the region particularly vulnerable to cross-border smuggling of narcotics and other contraband.
