Agartala, May 16 (IANS) Assam Rifles and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), in a joint operation, seized narcotic substances valued at Rs 8 crore and arrested a suspected drug peddler in Tripura on Saturday, officials said.

A Defence Spokesman said the Assam Rifles, in coordination with the DRI, achieved a major breakthrough against narcotics trafficking after seizing a huge consignment of highly addictive methamphetamine tablets from the Mungiakami area in Tripura’s Khowai district.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, security personnel intercepted a Mahindra pick-up vehicle, leading to the recovery of around one lakh methamphetamine tablets, commonly known as Yaba tablets, with an estimated market value of approximately Rs 8 crore.

During the operation, one person identified as Kauchar Hussain (28), a resident of Jatan Bari in Gomati district, was apprehended in connection with the seizure.

The recovered contraband, along with the arrested suspect, was handed over to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence for further investigation and necessary legal proceedings.

“This successful operation highlights the continued commitment of the Assam Rifles, in coordination with the DRI, to combat drug trafficking and safeguard the region from the growing menace of narcotics,” an official statement said.

Officials said the seized drugs were suspected to have been smuggled from Myanmar and routed through Mizoram and southern Assam before being clandestinely transported into Tripura, with plans to further smuggle the consignment into neighbouring Bangladesh.

Mizoram shares a 510-km-long unfenced international border with Myanmar and a 318-km-long porous and mountainous border with Bangladesh, making the region particularly vulnerable to cross-border smuggling and other illegal activities.

Tripura, which shares an 856-km-long international border with Bangladesh and is surrounded on three sides by the neighbouring country, also remains highly vulnerable to cross-border infiltration and smuggling activities.

Officials said such illegal consignments are frequently smuggled through six districts of Mizoram — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip.

Among the most commonly trafficked narcotic substances originating from Myanmar are methamphetamine tablets, widely known as Yaba or “party tablets”.

Often referred to as the “crazy drug”, these tablets contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine and are strictly banned in India.

–IANS

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