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The Border Security Force (BSF), in coordination with the Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department, seized methamphetamine tablets and heroin valued at over Rs 26 crore near the state capital Aizawl, officials said on Thursday. Two Myanmar nationals were arrested in connection with the haul.

 

Acting on specific intelligence, BSF personnel and Excise officials launched a joint operation on Wednesday along NH-6 between Seling and Tuirial in Aizawl district. The two suspects were intercepted while riding scooters and subsequently admitted to concealing the contraband in nearby roadside bushes.

 

A search of the indicated location, carried out in the presence of two independent witnesses, led to the recovery of two plastic bags. One contained 15 packages of methamphetamine (Dragon Brand) weighing 14.905 kg, while the other held 49 soap cases of heroin weighing 707 grams. The total estimated market value of the seized drugs is Rs 26.05 crore, the BSF statement said.

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Mizoram has faced rising drug trafficking and illegal smuggling from Myanmar, especially following the 2021 military coup in the neighbouring country. The ethnic violence in Manipur since May 2023 has further intensified the situation, with smugglers increasingly using Mizoram as an alternative transit route.

 

Authorities said the joint operation underscores ongoing efforts to strengthen border security and curb cross-border narcotics trafficking in the northeastern region. Both arrested suspects are being interrogated, and further investigation is underway to trace the supply network.

 

The BSF and state agencies have intensified surveillance along the Indo-Myanmar border, including checkpoints, intelligence-led operations, and coordinated patrols to prevent the inflow of contraband into the region.

 

This seizure marks one of the largest drug recoveries in Mizoram in recent years, highlighting the persistent challenges of narcotics trafficking and the importance of sustained inter-agency coordination to safeguard public health and security.