A major crackdown by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) leading to the seizure of one of the biggest consignments of methamphetamine in Assam and Tripura is only the visible fragment of a sprawling synthetic drug network in the region. Without coordinated transborder action, DRI and other law-enforcing agencies will find it extremely challenging to curb the alarming spread of cross-border drug trafficking; drastic action against illicit drug manufacturing in source countries remains critical to cutting the illicit synthetic drug market in the region. Enforcement will remain fragmented, and traffickers’ gangs will continue to reroute through the porous India-Myanmar border, aided by narco-terror conduits active in the area. DRI officers intercepted four trucks at multiple locations in the two states, leading to the seizure of a total of 231.8 kg of methamphetamine tablets and the arrest of three persons, the estimated street value of which runs into several hundred crore rupees. The coordinated surveillance and interception by an alert DRI team, along with similar actions by police forces in the region and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), resulting in the seizure of large quantities of illicit drugs, demonstrate the sustained efforts of law-enforcing agencies to intensify the war on drugs and their steadfast commitment to maintain vigilance. Yet, addressing factors that have driven synthetic drugs to replace plant-based drugs exceeds the territorial jurisdictions of these law-enforcing agencies. In addition to real-time intelligence sharing on cross-border drug trafficking, taking decisive action against illicit drug manufacturing in source countries is essential for completely cutting off supply lines. According to UNODC, Myanmar remains the largest source for methamphetamine in Southeast Asia. Information provided by the central government in Rajya Sabha revealed that there has been a marked increase in the trafficking of Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth/YABA) from Myanmar, particularly through Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, reflecting a shift towards synthetic drugs even though the region continues to witness trafficking of heroin. Simultaneously, there are reports of smuggling precursor chemicals from various parts of the country to Myanmar for the illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs, the government informed the parliament. This calls for intensifying monitoring and surveillance against the diversion of precursor chemicals to clandestine synthetic drug manufacturing units in neighbouring countries. The central government is notifying several precursor chemicals as controlled substances to curb this rising threat of diversion of precursor chemicals by regulating the manufacture, distribution, sale, purchase, possession, storage, consumption, import, export and transport of such substances through a licensing and monitoring framework. The ‘Code of Conduct for Preventing Diversion of Precursor Chemicals’ issued by the NCB, however, notes that effective precursor control cannot be achieved through regulatory mechanisms alone. “The manufacturers, distributors, transporters, warehouse operators, importers, exporters and end users of chemical precursors constitute the first line of defence against diversion. Their vigilance, self-regulation and cooperation are essential to safeguard legitimate trade while preventing misuse by illicit drug trafficking syndicates,” it adds, reminding the roles and responsibilities these stakeholders must play to strengthen efforts to make India drug-free. Strong enforcement of the code comes with the challenge identified by NCB that preventing diversion of precursor chemicals requires a balanced approach that safeguards legitimate commerce while denying traffickers access to chemicals used in illicit drug manufacture. This situation demands that the chemical precursor industry come forward to play a stronger role in collaborating with NCB and other law-enforcing agencies to intensify voluntary enforcement of the code to curb its diversion through porous borders in the northeast region. The government also informed the parliament that drug trafficking syndicates are increasingly exploiting porous and unfenced stretches of the Indo-Myanmar border, forest routes, foot tracks and hilly terrain for cross-border movement of narcotic drugs, concealing narcotics in legitimate cargo, passenger vehicles and goods carriers, while courier services, parcel networks, social media platforms and encrypted communication applications are progressively being used for coordination and delivery. The government reveals that the Moreh–Tamu border remains a significant transit point for trafficking heroin and methamphetamine from Myanmar to various parts of the country, highlighting the region’s ongoing vulnerability as both a drug market and transit route. One major factor driving the rise in illicit synthetic drug production is the lower production cost compared to that of plant-based drugs. While plant-based narcotic manufacturing and the market are dependent on geographical factors, weather patterns, and crop failure, laboratory- and chemical-based synthetic drug manufacturing does not face such field- or weather-based factors. The second factor driving methamphetamine demand is that it compels users to take more doses to desperately seek to retain the euphoric feeling, which lasts so briefly. The NCB secured a conviction of 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for three drug traffickers arrested in connection with the seizure of methamphetamine in tablet form at Khanapara in Guwahati in 2020, which is positive news. Strengthening the criminal justice system to achieve faster convictions in drug-related cases, as a deterrent measure, also deserves prioritisation in efforts to make the region drug-free.