The Mizoram government has announced the launch of a four-month-long operation to tackle cross-border drug trafficking from neighbouring Myanmar. The intensified crackdown, beginning September 1 and continuing until December 31, reflects growing concern over the rising tide of narcotics entering the state through its porous international border. The operation will bring together the state police, excise and narcotics department, the Assam Rifles, and volunteers from the Young Mizo Association (YMA), the state’s largest and most influential civil society group. Officials say the initiative aims not only to intercept drug consignments but also to engage border communities in the fight against trafficking.
Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) H Ramthlengliana said that law enforcement agencies currently manage to seize only about 10 percent of the drugs smuggled across the Indo-Myanmar border. “Despite consistent efforts, the sheer volume of trafficking and the difficult terrain pose serious challenges,” he admitted. To strengthen surveillance, 32 additional policemen have been deployed along key points of the 510-km international border. They will work alongside the Assam Rifles and local volunteers to plug gaps in security and intercept consignments before they reach urban centres.
Champhai district, which shares a long stretch of the Myanmar border, has become the focal point of trafficking networks. Last year, Champhai police alone recorded 170 of Mizoram’s 370 registered drug smuggling cases. Ahead of the new operation, a joint team of police and the Central YMA visited border villages in Champhai to seek cooperation from local leaders and raise awareness about the campaign. “Champhai has unfortunately become the gateway for narcotics entering Mizoram,” Ramthlengliana said. “Unless we secure this corridor, the entire state remains vulnerable.”
