Mizoram to launch 4 month crackdown on cross-border drug smuggling

The Mizoram government is set to initiate a special four-month operation aimed at curbing drug smuggling from neighbouring Myanmar, a senior police official confirmed on Sunday, August 31. The operation, scheduled to commence on Monday, will continue until December 31.

Inspector General of Police H Ramthlengliana stated that the drive will be conducted in close coordination with the state excise and narcotics department as well as the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the state’s largest civil society organisation.

Home Minister K Sapdanga emphasized the urgency of the initiative, noting that drug smugglers and addicts often engage in theft and other criminal activities, posing a serious threat to society.

Ramthlengliana highlighted the challenge, stating that law enforcement currently seizes only about 10% of drugs smuggled from Myanmar. To strengthen border control, 32 policemen will be deployed along the Indo-Myanmar border to assist the Assam Rifles and local volunteers in intercepting trafficking activities.

Last week, a joint team of police and the Central Young Mizo Association, led by Ramthlengliana, visited border villages in Champhai district to engage local leaders on the upcoming operation. Champhai, he said, is a major gateway for drug trafficking; last year, 170 of the state’s 370 drug smuggling cases were recorded by Champhai police alone.

Mizoram, sharing a 510-km porous border with Myanmar, has been grappling with widespread drug abuse and trafficking. State excise and narcotics data reveal that from January 1 to August 8 this year, 51 individuals, including seven women, died due to drug abuse. Over the past five years, a total of 351 people have succumbed to substance abuse.

According to PTI data, the Mizoram police have seized substantial quantities of narcotics between 2020 and May 2025, including 2,350 kg of methamphetamine tablets, 89 kg of crystal meth, and 243 kg of heroin, with a total market value of ₹770.95 crore. The excise and narcotics department also reported seizing 212.987 kg of heroin, 568.991 kg of methamphetamine, and 1,566.662 kg of ganja worth ₹152.43 crore during the same period.

In addition, 4,400 individuals have been arrested and booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act since 2020.