In a pivotal late-night operation on April 11, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted a 12-wheeler truck on the outskirts of Aizawl, Mizoram, uncovering a staggering stash of methamphetamine tablets weighing 52.67 kg. The contraband’s estimated worth in the global drug market stands at a jaw-dropping $6.35 million, highlighting the immense stakes involved in this trafficking attempt.
The operation revealed a sophisticated smuggling technique. Hidden among the folds of the truck’s tarpaulin cover, officials discovered 53 meticulously packed, brick-sized packets. Each packet bore unique markings, including phrases like “3030 Export Only,” “999,” and diamond symbols. Upon testing with the NDPS Field Test Kit, the vibrant orange-pink tablets within the packets were identified as methamphetamine.
The intercepted truck, registered in Nagaland, had set out from Zokhawthar—a sensitive border town on the Indo-Myanmar frontier—and was headed toward Tripura. Notably, the vehicle carried no declared goods during its apprehension. It had previously transported cement from Meghalaya to Champhai before traveling to Zokhawthar, where the illicit load was concealed.
The driver and his assistant have been detained under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, marking a significant step in the investigation. Preliminary findings suggest that the drugs were smuggled across the border from Myanmar into Mizoram through the Zokhawthar sector.
This operation is part of the DRI’s relentless pursuit against drug trafficking, especially in the Northeast, a region increasingly targeted by international syndicates. Since January this year, the agency has successfully confiscated a total of 148.50 kg of methamphetamine tablets, a testament to its unwavering commitment to curbing narcotics smuggling.
