Guwahati, June 12; In a major crackdown against smuggling of foreign-origin cigarettes, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) carried out coordinated operations in Mizoram and seized more than 45 lakh sticks of foreign-origin cigarettes on Thursday.
The seized cigarettes were of brands such as Mond, XSo, ORIS and Patron, official sources said on Friday.
The operation was carried out with the assistance of the 34th Battalion, Assam Rifles. One person has been arrested in the case.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the cigarettes were smuggled into the country from Myanmar through the Zokhawthar sector along the India-Myanmar border.
The seized cigarettes have been valued cumulatively at approximately Rs 14 crore.
Notably, in a series of operations in the past few weeks, another 26 lakh such cigarettes have been seized, and three persons have been arrested.
An official statement revealed that since May 2026, operations conducted by DRI have led to a seizure of about 71,00,000 sticks of foreign-origin smuggled cigarettes across the Northeast region and arrest of four persons.
