GUWAHATI, July 29: In a major breakthrough amid the crackdown on drug trafficking in the Northeast, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized drugs, valued at approximately Rs 28 crore, in two separate operations conducted in Assam and Mizoram.
Four persons, including two nationals of Myanmar, have been arrested under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers had, on July 25, intercepted a Mahindra TUV300 vehicle at Katakhal in Hailakandi district of Assam.
“Upon detailed examination, 160 soap cases containing 1,813 grams of heroin, and two brick-sized packets of methamphetamine tablets weighing 2 kilograms, were found hidden in fabricated cavities throughout the vehicle. The contraband was so well hidden that its extraction required the assistance of a skilled mechanic,” an official statement said on Tuesday.
In a follow-up operation on July 26, a Maruti Eeco van was intercepted at Sakei Bangla in Champhai district of Mizoram. As many as 160 soap cases, containing 1,920 grams of heroin, were recovered from specially-built cavities in the seats of the vehicle.
“These contraband drugs were smuggled into Mizoram from Myanmar through the India-Myanmar border and were subsequently being transported from the border areas to other parts of the country,” the statement said.
“These seizures are part of DRI’s sustained efforts to combat drug trafficking in the Northeast region. Since January 2025, DRI has seized contraband drugs including heroin, methamphetamine tablets, opium, and ganja valued at over Rs 346 crores in the region. Twenty seven cases have been registered, involving the seizure of 25 vehicles and the arrest of 48 individuals, including three women,” it said.