Narcotics Control Bureau, in a joint operation with Assam Rifles and Manipur Police, seized a massive consignment of heroin worth nearly ₹11 crore in Manipur’s Churachandpur district and arrested three alleged drug traffickers linked to cross-border narcotics smuggling.
According to a statement shared by Narcotics Control Bureau on X, the operation was carried out during the night intervening April 23 and April 24, 2026, based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the movement of narcotics in the region.
During the operation, officials intercepted a Mahindra Camper Bolero in Churachandpur district and conducted a detailed search of the vehicle. Investigators discovered that the heroin had been concealed inside a specially fabricated cavity built within the vehicle to evade detection by security agencies.
Authorities recovered a total of 474 soap cases containing heroin weighing approximately 5.4 kilograms. Officials estimated the value of the seized narcotics at around ₹11 crore in the illicit drug market.
The three arrested individuals are all residents of Churachandpur district. Preliminary investigation revealed that the contraband had allegedly been sourced from Myanmar before being transported into Indian territory through cross-border trafficking routes.
Officials stated that the arrests and seizure mark another significant breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown against organised narcotics networks operating along the India-Myanmar border.
Narcotics Control Bureau said further investigation is currently underway to identify both backward and forward linkages associated with the smuggling network. Agencies are now working to trace suppliers, handlers, transporters, and potential receivers connected to the racket in an effort to dismantle the broader trafficking chain operating in the region.
The agency noted that Manipur remains highly vulnerable to transnational drug trafficking due to its geographical proximity to the international border with Myanmar, which is often exploited by organised criminal syndicates for the movement of narcotics and other contraband.
In recent months, security and anti-narcotics agencies have intensified surveillance and enforcement operations across Manipur and other northeastern states to curb the inflow of drugs into the country.
Narcotics Control Bureau also appealed to citizens to assist in the fight against narcotics by sharing information related to drug trafficking and illegal activities through the MANAS Helpline at 1933. The agency assured that the identities of informers would remain strictly confidential.
The seizure is being viewed as a major success in the coordinated efforts of central and state agencies to combat the growing menace of drug trafficking in the Northeast region.
