Mizoram: Assam Rifles Thwart Major Smuggling Attempts in Mizoram, Seize Rs 1.61 Crore in Contraband

AIZAWL: In a remarkable display of vigilance on Tuesday, August 27, the Assam Rifles reported the successful disruption of multiple smuggling attempts in Mizoram, which resulted in the seizure of contraband items valued at a whopping Rs 1.61 crore in the international market. These operations, conducted in Siaha and Champhai districts, underline the relentless efforts of India's oldest paramilitary force in checking the burgeoning menace of cross-border smuggling in the region.

Troops in a series of well-coordinated operations seized a sizeable amount of contraband comprising areca nuts and heroin and arrested an alleged smuggler. The seizures were made in the remote districts of the hill state notoriously known for tough terrains and proximity to the Myanmar border, measuring a vast 1,643 kms across four northeastern states of Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh.

About 510 kilometers of this border alone belongs to Mizoram and is particularly vulnerable to the activities of the smugglers who take advantage of its porous nature. Concerns are similar in Manipur, whose border extends to 398 kilometers, as well as in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh sharing a border with Myanmar on 215 kilometers and 520 kilometers, respectively. The strategic and often inaccessible topography affords a tempting route for the traffickers aiming to bring contraband into India from Myanmar.

The case in point is the latest seizure by Assam Rifles of seized contraband. In particular, border areas of Mizoram and Manipur have turned into infamous conduits for the smuggling of a wide range of illegal goods, including narcotic drugs, areca nuts, arms, ammunition, exotic wildlife, and even gold. This black-marketing trait since infused with lucrativeness still remains to date and is on an upward trend, soaring the rates of cross-border contraband smuggling despite any endeavor the law enforcement keep making.

Data shows how the Assam Rifles has been keeping the ante high in the fight against the perennial flood of smuggling. The force seized, during the period from January to December 2023, 4428.314 tons of betel nuts, commercially known as areca nuts, from the markets of the border areas of Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland, worth Rs 377.462 crore. Statistics like these indicate the extent of the challenge and the uncompromising ardor with which the Assam Rifles guards the borders of India.

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