NIA searches five locations in Mizoram in methamphetamine trafficking case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on August 12 conducted searches at five locations in Mizoram as part of a probe into an international methamphetamine trafficking network linked to the seizure of more than six kg of the synthetic drug from a Myanmar boat near Barren Island in the Bay of Bengal in November 2024.

The coordinated searches were carried out at a total of 13 locations in Tamil Nadu and Mizoram, including five premises in Mizoram, the NIA said in a statement.

During the searches, the agency recovered Rs 22.38 lakh in Champhai and Rs 20.73 lakh in Aizawl, besides seizing several digital devices for forensic examination. The devices are expected to help investigators uncover the wider network involved in the trafficking operation.

The case dates back to November 2024, when Andaman and Nicobar Police seized more than six kg of methamphetamine, along with a satellite phone and other items, from a Myanmar boat near Barren Island. Six Myanmar nationals were arrested and later chargesheeted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Foreigners Act, 1946.

The NIA took over the investigation and re-registered the case on August 11, 2025, with the accused currently in judicial custody.

The latest searches in Champhai and Aizawl are part of the agency's efforts to trace the financial and logistical links of the transnational narcotics network and identify other individuals allegedly involved in the conspiracy.

The NIA said further investigation is underway to establish links between the seized methamphetamine consignment and wider international drug syndicates and to identify and apprehend additional members of the trafficking network.