Mizoram: Drugs worth Rs 45 crore seized, four including two Myanmar nationals arrested

Aizawl, Nov 3 (IANS) Mizoram Excise and Narcotics department officials on Monday seized over 15 kg of highly addictive methamphetamine pills worth over Rs 45 crore and arrested four drug smugglers, including two Myanmar nationals. Officials gave this information on Monday.

A team of Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department conducted the operation in New Champhai area, where they caught two drug smugglers and recovered 10.1 kg of methamphetamine pills from them.

The drug smugglers were identified as Zamsianmanga (41) and Ronald Liyana (26), both residents of Sagaing Division of Myanmar.

Another team stopped a vehicle in the area bordering Champhai town and seized an additional 5.11 kg of similar methamphetamine pills.

Two Indian nationals were also arrested in the second operation. They were identified as Saharroor Alom (26), a resident of Ranigram in Sribumi district (formally Karimganj district) of south Assam and Golap Hussain (32), a resident of Bagimara in Sonamura subdivision of Sipahijala district in Tripura.

A car with Assam registration number used by the drug smugglers was also seized.

All four accused have been booked under relevant provisions of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985 and the cases have been registered at Champhai police station, officials said.

The seizure of drugs is another major achievement in the ongoing crackdown on cross-border drug smuggling from neighboring Myanmar through Mizoram’s open border.

Six districts of Mizoram, especially Champhai, are being used for smuggling of methamphetamine pills, other synthetic drugs, exotic animals, arms and ammunition.

Methamphetamine tablets, also known as yaba or party tablets, contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are commonly known as the ‘mad drug’. These are banned in India.

Notably, Myanmar shares a 1,643 km long unfenced border with four northeastern states – Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland and serves as a major transit point for drugs, especially heroin and methamphetamine pills.

At least six districts of Mizoram share border with Myanmar which are Champhai, Siaha, Langtlai, Hnathiyal, Saitual and Serchhip.

–IANS

SC/MR