Methamphetamine tablets smuggled from Myanmar seized in Mizoram

Aizawl, April 2 (IANS) The Assam Rifles troopers have recovered highly addictive methamphetamine tablets, valued at over Rs 12.54 crore, in Mizoram on Wednesday, officials said.

A defence spokesman said that, acting on secret information, the paramilitary troopers launched raids at the Bualpui area of Lawngtlai district and recovered 42,000 methamphetamine tablets, also known as Yaba or party tablets.

The Lawngtlai district shares unfenced borders with both Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The seized narcotics, smuggled from Myanmar, have been handed over to the Bualpui Police Station.

Wednesday’s methamphetamine seizure is the second such major drug recovery from the Lawngtlai district within a week.

On March 25, the Assam Rifles in a significant success in its efforts against drug smuggling, in a joint operation with the officials of the Excise and Narcotics Department, seized 50,000 methamphetamine tablets, valued at Rs 15 crore.

The drugs, smuggled from Myanmar, were recovered from Bualpui in Lawngtlai, and a 53-year-old Myanmarese resident of Lungrang village in the neighbouring country's Hakha district was apprehended.

Myanmar’s Chin state is a hub for drug smuggling through six Mizoram districts -- Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip. Champhai is a hotspot for the smuggling of various drugs, foreign cigarettes, areca nuts, arms and ammunition, and exotic animals and their parts. The varied drugs mostly come to India from Myanmar through illegal border routes in Mizoram and Manipur, and then are smuggled to other northeastern and Indian states and neighbouring countries, mainly Bangladesh.

Mizoram shares 510 km and 318 km unfenced border with Myanmar and Bangladesh, respectively.

--IANS

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