Poppy seeds, areca nuts smuggled from Myanmar seized by Assam Rifles in Mizoram

AIZAWL — Assam Rifles have seized 90 bags of poppy seeds and 120 bags of areca nuts (betel nuts) worth INR one crore in Mizoram, officials said on Monday. 

A defence spokesman said that based on specific intelligence, Assam Rifles conducted a search operation at Farlui road areas, Ruantlang in Mizoram’s border Champhai district, and recovered the contraband.

This significant recovery underscores the Assam Rifles’ zero-tolerance approach towards illicit activities in the region and its continued commitment to ensuring the law and order situation is maintained, an official statement said.

The seized consignment has been handed over to the Customs Preventive Force, Champhai, for further investigation and prosecution under relevant laws.

This operation highlights the Assam Rifles’ ongoing dedication to securing the northeastern region’s borders and preventing illegal trade that adversely impacts the socio-economic stability of the region, the statement said.

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An official said that the poppy seeds and areca nuts were smuggled from Myanmar and intended to be ferried to other states in India.

Security forces in Manipur and Assam often destroy illegal poppy cultivation in these states as part of the government's 'War on Drugs' mission.

Poppy cultivation has been identified as a key source for the production of illicit opium. It is estimated that three to four kilograms of opium are produced per acre of poppy cultivation, with one kilogram valued between INR 4 lakh and INR 5 lakh in the clandestine market.

On the other hand, the smuggling of areca nuts, also known as Burmese Betel Nuts, from Myanmar has had a negative impact on local farmers in the northeastern states, as they have to struggle to sell their produce at competitive prices.

Areca nut farmers in Tripura and Assam have organised agitations in the recent past against the smuggling of areca nuts from Myanmar.

The Manipur government, on several occasions, said that the ethnic strife in Manipur since May 2023 is a creation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar, adding that these migrants, after illegally settling in the state, started the cultivation of illicit poppies. Myanmar, which shares a 1,643 km unfenced border with four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, and Mizoram -- serves as a key transit point for drugs, particularly heroin and methamphetamine tablets, entering India.

The Mizoram districts that border Myanmar are Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual, and Serchhip. These six districts share a combined border of 510 km with Myanmar's Chin state, which is a hub for smuggling of varied drugs, exotic wildlife animals and many other contraband through the Northeastern states.