The Impressive TimesNew Delhi, May 28, 2025 : In a continued effort to combat drug trafficking in the North Eastern region of India, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), in close coordination with Assam Rifles, has seized contraband drugs valued at approximately ₹23.5 crore in two separate operations in Manipur and Assam. Four individuals involved in the trafficking have been arrested.
On May 21, 2025, acting on specific intelligence, the DRI along with the 19 BN Assam Rifles intercepted a truck traveling along National Highway 37 at Noney, Manipur. During a detailed examination, officials uncovered a specially fabricated cavity on the truck’s chassis. Hidden inside were 569 grams of heroin and 1,039 grams of methamphetamine tablets, carefully packed to avoid detection.
A day later, on May 22, 2025, another joint operation was carried out by DRI and the Assam Rifles FIU Unit, Silchar, in the Aloicherra area of Hailakandi District, Assam. A truck was intercepted and searched, leading to the recovery of 2,640.53 grams of heroin. The narcotics were concealed in a specially designed cavity built into the truck’s bedload floor, demonstrating the traffickers’ sophisticated smuggling methods.
The total street value of the seized narcotics is estimated at around ₹23.5 crore in the international grey drug market. The contraband has been confiscated under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and four individuals have been taken into custody.
These latest seizures reflect the growing vigilance and operational success of the DRI in curbing the trafficking of illegal substances in India’s North-East—an area often exploited as a transit route for cross-border narcotics smuggling.
According to official data, since the beginning of January 2025, the DRI has seized various narcotics, including ganja, heroin, and methamphetamine tablets, valued at over ₹173 crore from the North Eastern states. A total of 26 individuals have been arrested in connection with these seizures so far.
The DRI continues to intensify its surveillance and intelligence-gathering activities in coordination with paramilitary forces to dismantle drug trafficking networks in the region. The agency reiterated its commitment to safeguarding national security and public health through relentless enforcement against the illegal drug trade.
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