In a massive crackdown on the narcotics trade, officials from Mizoram's Excise and Narcotics Department have disclosed staggering enforcement figures for the current year. The state, which shares a porous border with Myanmar, continues to be a major transit route for illicit drugs entering India's northeast.
Unprecedented Seizures and Arrests Under NDPS Act
From January until recently, department authorities have registered a total of 1,016 cases under the stringent Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985. This legal action has led to the arrest of 1,563 individuals involved in the illegal possession and trafficking of drugs. A significant portion of these narcotics is suspected to have been smuggled into Mizoram from neighboring Myanmar.
The scale of contraband recovered paints a grim picture of the drug flow. Officials confirmed the seizure of 80.594 kilograms of heroin and a massive 425.144 kilograms of methamphetamine. Other substances confiscated include 7.420 kg of pseudoephedrine (a precursor for meth), 1.193 kg of opium, and 801.67 kg of cannabis. A large quantity of prescription clinical drugs was also recovered in the operations.
Foreign Nationals and the Toll of Prohibition Laws
Among those apprehended, approximately 100 foreign nationals, primarily citizens of Myanmar, were caught in the dragnet. This highlights the cross-border nature of the narcotics network exploiting the region's terrain.
Parallel to the drug war, enforcement of the state's prohibition policy has been equally vigorous. Under the Mizoram Liquor Prohibition Act of 2019, authorities have registered an astonishing 12,047 cases leading to the arrest of 10,906 people during the same period this year.
The Human Cost of Drug Abuse
The crackdown data is shadowed by a tragic human cost. Officials reported that at least 88 people have lost their lives in Mizoram this year due to drug abuse. The fatalities are primarily linked to heroin addiction or the combined consumption of heroin and other clinical drugs. This underscores the severe public health emergency simmering beneath the law enforcement statistics.
The figures released by the department signal a relentless effort by Mizoram's authorities to combat the twin challenges of narcotics trafficking and alcohol prohibition violations. However, the continued high volume of seizures and the tragic death toll indicate the persistent and deep-rooted nature of the problem, fueled by the state's strategic location along an international drug smuggling route.
