Imphal: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested two local men and seized over seven kilograms of heroin in Manipur, busting a cross-border drug trafficking module linked to Myanmar, officials said on Thursday.
The operation was carried out on Wednesday by the NCB’s Imphal zonal unit in coordination with the Assam Rifles, following specific intelligence inputs. During the operation, a four-wheeler was intercepted near the India-Myanmar border, leading to the recovery of 7.31 kilograms of heroin.
Officials said the contraband, estimated to be worth around ₹15 crore in the international market, was concealed inside 638 plastic soap cases to avoid detection. Preliminary investigations suggest that the heroin originated from the Haichin region in Myanmar and was being smuggled into India through Manipur.
The accused, both residents of Churachandpur district, allegedly used dense forest corridors to transport the narcotics, attempting to evade regular police checks and security surveillance along conventional routes.
NCB officials noted that intensified monitoring and stricter enforcement along traditional trafficking corridors between Myanmar and India have forced smugglers to change their methods. Traffickers are now increasingly using difficult forest terrain and riverine routes to bypass security agencies, they said.
Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the trafficking network and determine the intended destination of the seized drugs.
