Agartala: Drug smuggling from Myanmar into India’s northeastern states continues to be a major concern, as Tripura Police confiscated narcotics valued at over Rs 30 crore in the last 48 hours and arrested three drug traffickers, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
In a significant operation, police in Dhalai district intercepted a truck carrying 9.24 lakh Yaba tablets, worth an estimated Rs 28 crore, and arrested the driver and his assistant, both hailing from Assam.
The truck, en route to Agartala from Assam, was stopped at a checkpoint in Ambassa.
Upon inspection, authorities discovered the methamphetamine pills concealed within the truck’s oil tanker.
Dhalai Superintendent of Police Mihir Lal Das stated that the arrested individuals are currently under interrogation to identify the masterminds behind the drug trafficking network.
Earlier, on Monday, Tripura Police foiled another smuggling attempt in North Tripura district, seizing 50,000 Yaba tablets valued at Rs 2.5 crore.
The drugs were hidden in a compartment of a vehicle, and the driver was taken into custody.
Chief Minister Manik Saha, who oversees both the Home and Health portfolios, commended the police for their swift and effective actions in combating drug smuggling.
According to police sources, interrogations revealed that the drugs were trafficked from Myanmar through Mizoram and Assam before reaching Tripura, with the ultimate destination being Bangladesh.
The porous border between India and Myanmar, particularly in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram, serves as a major conduit for illicit substances.
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Myanmar, which shares an unfenced 1,643 km border with these four states, is a key transit point for drugs such as heroin and methamphetamine.
The India-Myanmar border, unlike the heavily fenced India-Bangladesh border, remains largely open, enabling the smooth flow of illegal drugs into India, which are then trafficked across the border into Bangladesh.
The situation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in addressing cross-border drug smuggling.
