Guwahati, Mar 16: In a major operation against international drug trafficking, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized methamphetamine tablets worth ₹88 crore and arrested four individuals linked to a global drug cartel in coordinated raids in Imphal and Guwahati.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the operation, reaffirming the government’s zero-tolerance policy on drug trafficking. In a post on X, he stated, “No mercy for drug cartels. This drug haul is a testament to the stellar performance of the bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom approach to investigation. Our hunt for drugs continues. Heartfelt congratulations to team NCB.”
On March 13, acting on intelligence, NCB officers intercepted a truck near Lilong and, after extensive reconnaissance, discovered 102.39 kg of methamphetamine tablets hidden in the vehicle’s toolbox and rear cabin.
Two truck occupants were apprehended, followed by the arrest of their intended recipient in Lilong. A four-wheeler linked to the trafficking was also seized. The consignment was suspected to have originated from Moreh, a key transit point on the India-Myanmar border.
On the same day, another NCB team in Guwahati intercepted an SUV near Silchar on the Assam-Mizoram border. A search revealed 7.48 kg of methamphetamine tablets concealed in the vehicle’s spare tire.
The driver was arrested, and initial investigations pointed to Moreh as the source and Karimganj as the intended destination. Beyond these arrests, NCB is also taking over a separate case from Mizoram State Excise Department, where 46 kg of crystal meth was seized in Aizawl’s Brigade Bawngkawn area on March 6.
Four individuals have already been arrested in connection with this case, and NCB will now probe the cartel’s international and inter-state links. The Northeast has become a critical zone for drug trafficking due to its porous borders and proximity to major narcotics-producing regions.
In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) strengthened NCB’s presence in 2023 to intensify its fight against drug networks. The agency operates five zonal units and a regional headquarters in the region, targeting synthetic drugs like methamphetamine (YABA), which pose both social and national security threats.
