AIZAWL, Aug 30 - In a major operation, the Aizawl Battalion of Assam Rifles seized methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 3.50 crore in Champhai district on Saturday.
An Assam Rifles source said one lakh tablets of methamphetamine were seized at Diltlang village along the Indo-Myanmar border following a joint operation with DRI.
�The recovered drugs were handed over to concerned department for further investigation and prosecution,� it said.
Meanwhile, Serchhip Battalion of Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with Customs Prevention Force, seized 80 bags of Areca Nuts at Melbuk village near Myanmar border on the same day.
The market value of the seized contraband is estimated to be Rs 11.24 lakh. One person, a resident of Vairengte, Mizoram, has been apprehended and has been handed over to Custom Prevention Force.
IANS report adds: An Assam Rifles� press statement said, �Ongoing illegal drug trades are a major cause of concern for. Assam Rifles, rightly christened as the �Sentinels of North East� have been successful in launching such operations against the illicit smuggling in Mizoram.�
Methamphetamine tablets (also called Yaba tablet or party tablet) contain a mix of methamphetamine and caffeine and are misused as high-dosage drugs in India, Bangladesh and neighbouring countries.
According to the Border Security Force, Assam Rifles and intelligence officials, Yaba tablets and other drugs are smuggled into the north-eastern states from neighbouring Myanmar and then smuggled to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and various Indian states. Although Mizoram�s international border with Bangladesh and Myanmar and inter-state borders with Tripura, Assam and Manipur are sealed in view of the Covid-19 outbreak, smuggling of various drugs, arms and ammunition and other contraband are still going on.
Mountainous Mizoram has an unfenced international border of 404 kms with Myanmar and 318 kms with Bangladesh. While the BSF guards the Bangladesh border, the border with Myanmar is looked after by Assam Rifles. Assam Rifles has so far seized drugs and other contraband including heroin worth of around Rs 26 crore since July 1.
Many drug peddlers, including Myanmarese and Indian nationals, were also arrested by the Assam Rifles.
