Massive Methamphetamine Seizure in Mizoram Highlights Cross-Border Drug Smuggling Crisis

Incident Overview

On April 11, 2025, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) carried out a significant anti-smuggling operation near Aizawl, Mizoram, resulting in the seizure of 52.67 kilograms of methamphetamine. The consignment, valued at approximately ₹52.67 crore, was hidden in a 12-wheeler truck registered in Nagaland.

Details of the Operation

The truck was intercepted based on prior intelligence inputs. Upon inspection, authorities found 53 brick-shaped packets concealed within the tarpaulin folds. Each packet was marked with labels such as “3030 Export Only”, “999”, and diamond logos. The orange-pink tablets inside tested positive for methamphetamine.

The truck had reportedly picked up the contraband from Zokhawthar, a border town near Myanmar, and was en route to Tripura. Two individuals—the driver and his assistant—were arrested and booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Broader Context

This seizure underscores the rising trend of narcotics smuggling in northeast India. Mizoram, sharing a 404-km porous border with Myanmar, has become a key transit route for traffickers exploiting the post-2021 coup instability in Myanmar.

Between January and March 2025, authorities in Mizoram intercepted narcotics worth ₹195.48 crore, including meth and heroin. In a related case, a joint operation by the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police led to the seizure of nearly 18 kg of meth tablets from a Myanmarese national in Lawngtlai district, further stressing the need for coordinated anti-trafficking efforts.

Sources

• Northeast Today
• News On Air
• E-Pao
• Ukhrul Times