Smuggling of drugs across India-Myanmar border witnessing significant drop, Mizoram CM told

Aizawl, Nov 19 (PTI) Smuggling of drugs and Burmese areca nuts into Mizoram from Myanmar has significantly come down due to enhanced security measures along the border, Chief Minister Lalduhoma was told at a review meeting on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma held the meeting to review the works of the Home Department and Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation Department, a statement said.

Home Department officials informed the meeting that there are 12 police stations and 10 duty posts manned by Assam Rifles along the 510-km Mizoram-Myanmar border.

They said that drug trafficking and smuggling of illegal areca nuts across the border have steadily declined due to enhanced security measures along the border.

Efforts are on to begin the construction of border haats, the statement said.

As directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the border haat will be initially constructed at Zote in east Mizoram's Champhai district, it said.

A total of 21,238 people have been issued border passes under the Free Movement Regime (FMR) for movement across the India-Myanmar border since October, it said.

Officials also informed the meeting that the next round of talks between Mizoram and Assam to resolve the inter-state border dispute is being scheduled, it added. PTI CORR SOM