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Updated March 25th, 2021 at 17:19 IST

Myanmar coup ruckus pushes Mizoram under drug trafficking threat; old problem deepens

Amid the ongoing situation in the neighbouring country, the northeastern state of Mizoram has emerged as a major drug smuggling route originating from Myanmar.

Reported by: Shivani Sharma
Myanmar
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The ongoing situation in Myanmar has pushed Mizoram under a massive drug smuggling threat. The post-coup influx is being misused by the narcotic smugglers across the borders. Mizoram has the country's highest drug addiction figures and the biggest consignments of drugs are allegedly entering the state from the porous borders of Myanmar. Inputs reveal that large consignments of heroin and pink drug are being pushed into India through Mizoram. The Assam Rifles that guards the 510 km long border with Myanmar has recovered drugs worth Rs 35 crore during COVID period itself.

Mizoram has been in the grip of the drug menace since 1984. A total of 1,645 people have died due to drug abuse in the last three decades. In 2020 alone, 67 people have died. Drugs have impacted the youth of the state either directly through consumption or indirectly through thefts, robberies and crimes. A total of 268 people were arrested in 2020 on drug-related charges. As per data available with Law Enforcement Agencies, in 2020, 21 kg heroin, 130 kg of marijuana & Methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 47 crore were seized.

Mizoram threatened by drug smuggling from Myanmar

A major reason for this rampant drug problem in the state is the illegally settled Chin population which has close ties to the drug network. Yaba tablets, produced in the Wa state of Myanmar and which are in high demand in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, are smuggled through Mizoram. Apart from drugs, Mizoram has also become a hub for trafficking various metals and other products. It is one of the fastest-growing hubs of gold smuggling from China. More than 8 kg of gold was recovered in Mizoram in 2020 and about 70 kg recovered in other parts of the country in 2020 which is believed to have come from Mizoram.

Arms and fertilisers are the other products that are smuggled through Mizoram. Around 30 AK 47, Two Chinese pistols, one Air rifle, around 600 rifle scopes and about 1.5 Lakh detonators were recovered in 2020. Assam Rifles has made stellar contributions in recovering illegal drugs and other contraband. Looking at the data from 2020 till date, the force has apprehended 45 Myanmar nationals and 215 drug peddlers. It has recovered the following (worth Rs 50.469 crore):-

- Narcotics - Worth 61 crore.
- Contrabands - Worth 70 crore.

Methamphetamine or the pink drug is the newest threat in the region. Since the profit in this drug is very high, the pill which is sold in Myanmar for just 10 rupees comes to Mizoram and goes to other metros like Delhi, Mumbai and is sold for more than Rs 2,000. Commander, 23 Sector of Assam Rifle, Brigadier Digvijay Singh said that the biggest reason for drug addiction in Mizoram is the easy availability of drugs and Mizoram being a dry state, people here get easily trapped into drug menace.

Drug smuggling increases in Mizoram after Mayanmar ruckus

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Free Border Movement Regime between Myanmar and India has been suspended but the movement of Myanmar citizens is still continuing due to the violent protests and action against protesters. Assam Rifles had caught more than Rs 35 crore in drugs during the Coronavirus pandemic last year and arrested 40 people. Earlier, in 2019, drugs worth Rs 50 crore were recovered and this year, so far, drugs worth Rs 16 crore have been caught. The biggest challenge is that due to its small size the pink drug is smoothed very easily, all the consignments that have been caught so far have been caught in small packets and each packet had 20 thousand tablets.

Since Mizoram is a land-locked state bounded by Bangladesh and Myanmar on two sides, it is said that in the past, trade from Mizoram in India used to be through Laos, Myanmar and Thailand which is also known as the Old Silk Route. Mizoram used the same route for salt, it was later renamed as Salt Route. Now the salt route is being used for smuggling drugs. This route is also referred to as the Golden Triangle of intoxicants.

According to the information, at present, this drug business has changed from the Golden Triangle to the Golden Pentagon. Now along with Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia also are in the drug trap. Assam Rifles is continuously fighting the drug menace in the region.

(Picture Credit: unsplash@f7photo)

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Published March 25th, 2021 at 17:19 IST

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