Assam Police bust interstate drug racket; narcotics item valued at Rs. 20 crore seized

Guwahati, March 25 (IANS) Assam Police in an anti-narcotics operation busted an interstate drug network and seized drugs worth Rs. 20 crores, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday.

The operation was carried out by Assam Police near the Mizoram border, and the huge consignment of drugs was coming from the neighbouring state, police said.

Taking to X, CM Sarma wrote, “YABA tablets worth ₹20cr seized. In an anti-narcotics operation carried out by @cacharpolice in the wee hours. 66,000 YABA tablets were recovered from a residence near the Assam-Mizoram border in Raj Gobindpur.”

He also applauded the efforts of the police in anti-narcotics operations.

According to a senior police official, narcotics items are often peddled to Assam from neighbouring states of Manipur and Mizoram.

Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who visited the state, reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance policy against drug cartels following a major crackdown on an international narcotics network in the northeast.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) successfully busted the racket in coordinated operations in Guwahati and Imphal, seizing narcotics worth Rs 88 crore and arresting four men.

Later in a post on X, the Home Minister said: “No mercy for drug cartels. Accelerating the Modi government’s march to build a drug-free Bharat, a massive consignment of methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 88 crore is seized, and four members of the international drug cartel are arrested in Imphal and Guwahati zones.”

He lauded the efforts of the NCB, calling the operation a result of an effective “bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom approach” to the investigation.

“The drug haul is a testament to the stellar performance of this integrated strategy. Our hunt for drugs continues. Heartfelt congratulations to team NCB,” the Home Minister added.

Last year, Amit Shah, while addressing the 72nd plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala, said the accusations against the northeastern states about drug-related activities should be removed.

“Much endeavours were made to curb the drug menaces, but much more efforts must be undertaken by the Chief Ministers and all people concerned,” he said.

–IANS

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