Law enforcement agencies in Mizoram have seized methamphetamine tablets worth over Rs 40 crore in two separate operations conducted over the past 24 hours, arresting five alleged drug peddlers, officials said.
A senior official said the seizures were made during coordinated operations involving the police and other enforcement agencies, leading to the recovery of a large quantity of the banned narcotic. All the accused have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and produced before the Special NDPS Court in Aizawl district.
First operation: Major seizure in Aizawl
In the first operation, the Excise and Narcotics Department recovered 11.118 kg of methamphetamine tablets from the Khatla locality near the Tennis Court in Aizawl. Two persons were arrested in connection with the seizure.
The drugs, estimated to be around 1.20 lakh tablets, were allegedly recovered from the possession of Yahya Hussain (23), a resident of Sribhumi district in southern Assam, and Lalchhuanliana (45), a resident of Champhai district in Mizoram. Officials said a car suspected to have been used for transporting the drugs, along with two mobile phones, was also seized.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the consignment was smuggled from Myanmar and was being transported towards Assam when it was intercepted by enforcement agencies.
Second operation: Drugs intercepted at check post
In the second operation, police at the Dapchhuah check post under West Phaileng police station seized around 1.89 kg of suspected methamphetamine and arrested three persons.
The accused were identified as Sarimul Haque (38), Shamsul Hoque (38) and Nazam Uddin (21), all residents of Sribhumi district in Assam. Police said the vehicle they were travelling in, coming from the Aizawl side, was stopped on suspicion. A subsequent search led to the recovery of the drugs concealed inside a backpack placed on the rear seat.
Methamphetamine tablets, commonly known as Yaba or party tablets, contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are banned in India.
Officials pointed out that Mizoram shares long unfenced international borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, making it vulnerable to cross-border smuggling. Myanmar’s Chin state is considered a major source of illegal drugs and other contraband trafficked through several districts of Mizoram.