Mizoram to launch anti-narcotics operation from Sept 1 along Myanmar border

Aizawl, Sept 1: With drug trafficking and addiction emerging as a growing threat, Mizoram will launch an intensive anti-narcotics operation from September 1, targeting smuggling routes along the Myanmar border as well as urban streets.

A senior police official said on Saturday that the campaign will be led by the state police under Inspector General of Police (IGP) H Ramthlengliana, in coordination with the influential Young Mizo Association (YMA). After a week-long survey, teams have identified key entry points and trafficking corridors across Champhai district, which shares a porous border with Myanmar.

During a consultation with community leaders at Champhai on Friday, the IGP admitted that only about 10 per cent of narcotics entering Mizoram are intercepted, underscoring the need for stronger collective action.

“Champhai remains the prime channel for drug smugglers. Of the 370 narcotics-related cases registered statewide last year, 170 were from Champhai alone. Even this year, more than half of the 150 cases recorded till mid-August were from the district,” he noted.

Ramthlengliana urged local leaders and the public to support enforcement agencies in combating the crisis. He pointed out that the Assam Rifles, responsible for guarding the border, are not stationed directly at the frontier, allowing traffickers easy passage in and out of Myanmar. “This situation makes preventive measures extremely difficult, yet not impossible, if the public and civil society join forces with security agencies,” he stressed.

As part of the upcoming operation, additional police personnel will be deployed along vulnerable stretches of the border, working with YMA units and local residents. The drive will continue until December 31, focusing on disrupting supply lines and addressing drug use on the streets.

Home Minister K Sapdanga, voicing concern earlier, said drug abuse has made Mizoram’s streets unsafe even for men, let alone women and children, particularly after dark. He assured that the police have drawn up comprehensive plans to restore security in public spaces.

According to Sapdanga, enforcement bodies including the police, excise and narcotics wing, and other allied departments will work with civil society organisations to launch a full-scale offensive against drug smuggling, abuse and addiction. “Our objective is to ensure that the lives and property of the common people are no longer endangered by the menace of drugs,” the minister said.

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