Aizawl, June 19 (IANS) The smuggling of narcotics from Myanmar into India continues to pose a major challenge along the border, with security personnel seizing highly addictive methamphetamine tablets valued at around Rs 3 crore and arresting two drug peddlers in Mizoram, officials said.

A Defence spokesman said on Thursday that acting on specific inputs received from multiple intelligence agencies regarding the likely movement of narcotics in the areas between Tlangsam and Zotlang in eastern Mizoram’s Champhai district, a joint operation was launched by security agencies.

During the operation, a joint team of the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police detected the suspicious movement of two individuals carrying contraband items in the border area.

A prompt and thorough search led to the recovery of 950 grams of methamphetamine tablets, a highly addictive psychotropic substance, with an estimated international market value of around Rs 3 crore.

The recovered narcotics, along with the two apprehended individuals, were subsequently handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department of Mizoram for further investigation and necessary legal proceedings.

The seizure once again highlights the persistent challenge posed by cross-border drug trafficking networks operating along the India-Myanmar frontier and underscores the Assam Rifles’ continued efforts to curb the smuggling of narcotics and ensure the safety and security of border populations in Mizoram, the official statement said.

Meanwhile, Mizoram Governor General Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.) earlier this week urged people to uphold the cherished Mizo value of ‘Tlawmngaihna’ — the spirit of selflessness, compassion and voluntary service — while stressing the need for a united and sustained fight against drug abuse and trafficking.

Expressing concern over the growing menace of narcotics, the Governor emphasised the need to strengthen collective efforts against drug abuse and trafficking to ensure a safer and brighter future for the younger generation.

Myanmar’s Chin State has long been regarded as a major transit route for the smuggling of narcotics, exotic wildlife species, explosives and other contraband into India through Mizoram’s six border-linked districts — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip.

These six districts share a 510-km-long unfenced and mountainous international border with Myanmar, making the region particularly vulnerable to cross-border smuggling activities and the movement of illegal goods.

Security agencies have repeatedly expressed concern over the use of the porous border by transnational smuggling syndicates, with narcotics trafficking remaining one of the most significant challenges confronting law enforcement agencies in the region.

–IANS

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