Drugs worth Rs 88 crore seized; Amit Shah says no mercy for drug cartels

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah reaffirmed the Government’s unyielding position against drug trafficking and said that there shall be “no mercy for drug cartels.” Congratulating the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for its operational success, he pointed out the recent methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 88 crore and four members of an international drug cartel arrested.

In a post on the X platform, Amit Shah asserted that the drug seizure reflects the success of the Modi government’s “bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom” investigational strategy. He complimented the NCB team, reiterating the government’s resolve towards creating a drug-free India.

The operation was carried out in several places in the Northeast. During the first operation on March 13, 2025, NCB Imphal Zone officials, based on intelligence, seized a truck near Lilong. After a search, officials found 102.39 kg of methamphetamine tablets concealed in the toolbox and rear cabin of the truck. Two truck occupants were arrested on the spot. After the bust, the team conducted an instant follow-up raid, arresting another suspect from the Lilong region who was to take delivery of the contraband. One four-wheeler meant for drug running was also confiscated. Authorities suspect that the drugs came from Moreh, a town near the Manipur border, and investigations are continuing to identify others involved. Meanwhile, on the same day, in a different operation, NCB Guwahati Zone officials seized an SUV on the Assam-Mizoram border in Silchar. After searching the car, officials recovered 7.48 kg of methamphetamine tablets stashed inside the spare tire. The vehicle occupant was nabbed, and initial investigations indicate that the drugs also came from Moreh with Karimganj as the destination.

In a connected development, the NCB took up an investigation from the Mizoram State Excise Department in connection with a March 6 seizure of 46 kg of crystal meth from Aizawl. Four persons involved in the drug syndicate were arrested, and the NCB is now investigating international and interstate connections to bust the larger trafficking racket.

The Northeast Corridor has become an important route for drug trafficking because of its proximity to global borders.

Acknowledging the danger, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) enhanced the NCB’s presence in 2023 to escalate the war against drugs in the region. Having five zonal units and a regional headquarters in the Northeast, the NCB has been working to target traffickers, particularly those involved in trafficking synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine tablets, which are locally referred to as YABA. Such drugs are a serious threat not only to the youth of the region but also to national security.