Drugs worth over Rs 412 crore seized in Meghalaya in 5 years: Police

Authorities in Meghalaya have reported that narcotics worth more than Rs 412 crore have been seized in the state over the past five years, with over a thousand individuals arrested in connection with drug trafficking.

Superintendent of Police (SP) in charge of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Giri Prasad, said that between 2020 and 2025, joint operations by the ANTF and state police led to the seizure of 400.9 grams of heroin, 12,756 kilograms of marijuana, 2,79,636 kilograms of opium, 76 kilograms of yaba tablets, 14 kilograms of white crystal meth, and 1,24,906 bottles of codeine cough syrup. He confirmed that nearly half of the contraband has already been disposed of through legal processes.

“In the last five years, 1,061 people have been arrested for drug trafficking, and 603 cases have been registered,” Prasad said.

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The state government on Thursday also honoured eight ANTF officers for their role in a recent major operation in East Jaintia Hills, where drugs worth ₹4 crore were seized. Minister in charge of Social Welfare, Paul Lyngdoh, presented the awards in the presence of senior officials, including SP Giri Prasad, DREAM project director Francis Kharshiing, and DIG (Administration) Jubi G Momin. Awardees received cash rewards and mementoes.

Lyngdoh hailed the successful operation as another significant step in Meghalaya’s fight against drugs. “Just last week, our personnel managed to intercept contraband worth over ₹4 crore. The ANTF’s decisive action has dealt a blow to the drug trafficking networks that prey on our youth,” he said.

Officials noted that Meghalaya’s porous international borders and transit routes make it a lucrative passage for traffickers, adding that the state remains committed to breaking the supply chain.