In a major breakthrough against transnational drug trafficking, the Mizoram Police has foiled a high-stakes smuggling operation near Aizawl, seizing nearly 48 kg of methamphetamine tablets worth over Rs 6.17 crore, and arrested two persons with a cache of the contraband items. This is an effect of The CSR Journal’s coverage. 

The bust not only underscores the rising use of Mizoram as an alternative trafficking corridor but also reflects how security instability in neighboring Manipur is reshaping the narcotics landscape in India’s Northeast.

Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) authorities note that ongoing ethnic violence and instability in neighboring Manipur have led to a diversion of narcotic routes. “Traffickers are increasingly exploiting Mizoram’s relatively stable law-and-order environment and its strategic proximity to Myanmar, transforming it into a new transit point for cross-border drug smuggling,” said an NCB official.

According to Mizoram Police, a CID (Special Branch) team launched a covert operation based on specific intelligence. Two suspicious vehicles were intercepted along the Tuirial–Zemabawk stretch of National Highway 6, near a Presbyterian church in Zemabawk on the northeastern outskirts of Aizawl.

Contraband concealed in vehicle interiors

A thorough inspection of the vehicles, which were traveling from Champhai — a border town adjacent to Myanmar — led to the discovery of 49 bundles of methamphetamine tablets. The drugs were hidden within the rear linings and dashboard beams. One vehicle contained 18.9 kg of the substance, while the other carried 28.5 kg.

The two drivers, both residents of the Vengthlang locality in Champhai district, were immediately taken into custody and booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The seized drugs and vehicles have been handed over to the Special Narcotics Police Station in Aizawl for further investigation.

Growing concern over Meth Trafficking

Methamphetamine — commonly known as meth — is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant that directly impacts the central nervous system. The porous Indo-Myanmar border remains a key route for meth smuggling into India.

With enforcement in Manipur severely strained, Mizoram is increasingly under the spotlight. Authorities believe drug syndicates are recalibrating their smuggling routes to take advantage of Mizoram’s comparatively softer border surveillance. In response, state police forces have heightened vigilance across the region in an effort to curb this alarming trend.

Drug trade in Mizoram: 2020–2025 (Jan–Apr)