Aizawl, Aug 29 (IANS) The Assam Rifles on Friday have seized highly addictive banned drugs Methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 21 crore in Mizoram and two drug peddlers were arrested in these connections, officials said.

A Defence spokesman said that based on specific intelligence on trafficking of narcotics, Assam Rifles launched a joint operation along with Special Narcotics Police Station officials and intercepted a vehicle at Zemabawk South areas in Aizawl district.

After a thorough search of the vehicle, the para-military troops recovered 7 kg of Methamphetamine tablets valued at Rs 21 crore and arrested the two drug peddlers, who were travelling in the vehicle.

The recovered drugs and apprehended individuals along with the seized vehicle have been handed over to Special Narcotics Police Station, Aizawl. Methamphetamine, also known as ‘ice’ or ‘crystal meth’, is a highly addictive and powerful stimulant.

The drugs are also known as Yaba or party tablets among the drug abusers.

Officials suspect that the drugs were smuggled from Myanmar and intended to be ferried to other parts of the country or abroad.

Various drugs and different types of contraband, including exotic animals, are often illegally traded through six districts in Mizoram — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip — which share unfenced borders of 510 km with Myanmar.

Drugs are also smuggled from Myanmar through Manipur, which also shares 398 km of unfenced borders with the neighbouring country, a major drug supply nation in Southeast Asia.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma last week said that drug abuse remains the biggest threat to the state.

The Chief Minister had said that the state lies within close proximity to the ‘Golden Triangle’, a region notorious for drug trafficking.

Calling for collective efforts to fight the menaces of both drug abuse, smuggling of narcotics and spread of HIV/AIDS, Lalduhoma said that it is a struggle for both physical and spiritual well-being of all people.

The Mizoram government has started the recruitment process to form a Mizo Territorial Army (MTA) battalion to deal with drug trafficking and other law and order-related issues.

–IANS

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