Assam Rifles and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have seized approximately two lakh methamphetamine tablets, commonly known as Yaba tablets, valued at over Rs 16 crore, in a joint operation in Tripura.
A suspected drug peddler has been arrested in connection with the seizure, officials said on Sunday.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, Assam Rifles personnel and DRI officials intercepted a pick-up vehicle bearing a Tripura registration number at Teliamura in Khowai district on Saturday night.
A thorough search of the vehicle led to the recovery of the contraband tablets.
The arrested individual has been identified as Raju Deb, 44, a resident of Jalilpur in West Tripura. He, along with the seized drugs and the vehicle, has been handed over to the DRI for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Also Read: Drugs seized near Mizoram-Myanmar border
Police officials indicated that the drugs were likely smuggled from Myanmar, routed through Mizoram and southern Assam, and then brought into Tripura — with the suspected intention of further trafficking them into Bangladesh.
Mizoram shares a 510-km unfenced border with Myanmar and a 318-km porous mountainous border with Bangladesh, making it a key corridor for cross-border smuggling.
Tripura, surrounded on three sides by Bangladesh along an 856-km border, remains equally vulnerable to smuggling and cross-border movement of contraband.
Myanmar's Chin State is widely considered a major hub for narcotics trafficking in the region. Illegal goods, including drugs, arms, wildlife, and contraband cigarettes, are frequently smuggled through six districts of Mizoram — Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip.
Yaba tablets, one of the most commonly trafficked substances from Myanmar, contain a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine. Often called the "crazy drug," they are strictly banned in India.
The operation reflects the ongoing resolve of Assam Rifles, working closely with the DRI, to combat narcotics trafficking and maintain security across the sensitive northeastern border region.