Aizawl: Over 13,000 people have been arrested in connection with drug and alcohol-related offences in Mizoram over a span of 21 months, said Meghalaya Excise and Narcotics Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar on Wednesday.
According to the minister, at least 13,256 people were taken into custody between January 2024 and September this year. This figure includes around 100 foreign nationals, most of whom are from neighbouring Myanmar. During the same period, the Excise and Narcotics Department registered 1,016 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and 12,047 cases under the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) (MLP) Act, 2025.
“A total of 1,563 people have been arrested by the excise department under the NDPS Act, while 10,906 others have been arrested under the MLP Act for selling or manufacturing and importing illicit liquor or illegally consuming alcohol,” Hmar told reporters.
He further said that among those arrested in drug and alcohol-related cases, 100 were foreign nationals, mostly from Myanmar. In addition, enforcement agencies arrested 787 people in 826 alcohol-related cases under the Mizoram Excise Act, 1973 across three autonomous district council areas in the southern part of the state.
“Drugs worth Rs 71.64 crore have been destroyed by the excise department in two years since the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) government headed by Chief Minister Lalduhoma assumed power in December 2023,” he added.
Along with drugs, the department also seized significant quantities of illicit country-made liquor, Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), imported foreign liquor, beer, and illegally produced fruit wine.