In a significant blow to cross-border narcotics trade, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has dismantled a key trafficking module operating from Myanmar and seized a massive consignment of heroin in Manipur. The operation, which took place on Wednesday, led to the arrest of two local individuals and the recovery of contraband valued at approximately Rs 15 crore in international markets.
Operation Details and Major Seizure
Acting on precise intelligence inputs, a dedicated team from the NCB's Imphal zone, in a coordinated effort with the Assam Rifles, executed a strategic interception. The operation targeted a four-wheeler near the sensitive India-Myanmar border region. Upon search, officials discovered a staggering 7.31 kilograms of high-grade heroin.
The narcotics were ingeniously concealed, packed inside 638 plastic soap cases in an attempt to avoid detection. Preliminary investigations by the NCB point towards the Haichin region in Myanmar as the source of the seized drugs.
Changing Tactics of Traffickers
The bust highlights a shift in the methods employed by drug syndicates. According to NCB officials, heightened vigilance and stringent enforcement along traditional smuggling corridors between Myanmar and India have forced criminal networks to alter their routes.
Traffickers are now increasingly resorting to dense, uncharted forest tracks and complex riverine routes within Manipur to bypass established police surveillance and security checkpoints. This operation successfully disrupted one such attempt to exploit these difficult terrains for illegal transport.
Arrests and Ongoing Probe
The two individuals apprehended in the operation have been identified as residents of Churachandpur district in Manipur. Their arrest is expected to provide crucial leads to further unravel the network's connections and modus operandi.
This seizure underscores the persistent challenge of drug trafficking along the northeastern border and the continuous efforts of agencies like the NCB and Assam Rifles to combat it. The successful operation demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated intelligence-based actions against transnational narcotics networks attempting to infiltrate Indian territory.
