Mizoram minister seeks NCB help to tackle drug menace

Aizawl, Jul 2 (PTI) Mizoram Excise and Narcotics minister Lalnginghlova Hmar has sought the cooperation of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to tackle the rising drug menace in the northeastern state, an official said on Wednesday.

Hmar, who is currently in Delhi, met NCB Director General Anurag Garg on Tuesday and urged him that enhanced collaborative effort is required to address the rising drug trafficking in the state, the official said.

During the meeting, Hmar told Garg that there is a rapid increase in drugs being smuggled to Mizoram from Myanmar.

He stressed the importance of intelligence-sharing and training of officials and staff to strengthen the state's Excise and Narcotics department.

Responding to the minister, Garg said that capacity-building programmes will be organised in Mizoram and other northeastern states for personnel dealing with narcotics control, the official said.

The NCB director general also informed Hmar that efforts are underway to establish NCB zonal office in Aizawl, he said.

Hmar and Garg discussed the importance of close coordination and joint operations to tackle drug trafficking from the Myanmar border, the official said.

Mizoram shares a 510-km-long unfenced border with Myanmar.

The excise department seized various kinds of drugs, including 46.5 kg of heroin, 138.8 kg of Methamphetamine tablets and 586.6 kg of ganja (cannabis), and booked 7,309 people in drug and alcohol-related offences in 2024, officials said.

The state police also seized drugs and substances worth over Rs 211 crore and arrested 468 people in drug-related offences in 2024, they said. PTI COR RG