Guwahati: In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking in the North Eastern Region (NER), the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized drugs worth approximately Rs 28 crore in two separate operations carried out in Assam and Mizoram.
Four people, including two Myanmar nationals, have been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
According to a press release from PIB Guwahati, the first operation was conducted on July 25. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted a Mahindra TUV300 vehicle at Katakhal in Assam’s Hailakandi district.
A detailed search led to the recovery of 160 soap cases containing 1,813 grams of heroin and two brick-sized packets of methamphetamine tablets weighing 2 kilograms. The contraband was concealed in specially fabricated cavities inside the vehicle, and its extraction required the help of a skilled mechanic.
In a follow-up operation on July 26, DRI officers intercepted a Maruti Eeco van at Sakei Bangla in Champhai district of Mizoram. The search revealed 160 soap cases containing 1,920 grams of heroin hidden in custom-built cavities within the seats.
The seized drugs were smuggled into Mizoram from Myanmar through the porous Indo-Myanmar border and were being transported further into the country.
These operations are part of DRI’s sustained efforts to curb drug trafficking in the region. Since January 2025, DRI has seized various contraband drugs including heroin, methamphetamine tablets, opium, and ganja worth over Rs 346 crore in the North East.
So far, 27 cases have been registered, leading to the seizure of 25 vehicles and the arrest of 48 individuals, including three women.
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