DRI seizes narcotics worth Rs 23.5 crore in northeast; four traffickers arrested

New Delhi, May 28: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized heroin and methamphetamine valued at approximately Rs 23.5 crore in two separate busts in the North Eastern region, leading to the arrest of four suspected drug traffickers.

In the latest operation conducted on May 21, 2025, DRI officials, with the support of the 19 Battalion Assam Rifles, intercepted a truck on National Highway 37 at Noney in Manipur. Searches revealed 569 grams of heroin and 1,039 grams of methamphetamine tablets concealed in a specially fabricated cavity built into the vehicle's chassis.

According to officials, the seizure highlights the evolving tactics employed by drug traffickers in the region, including the use of modified vehicles to smuggle high-value narcotics across state lines.

The arrested individuals are currently in custody, and further investigations are underway to trace the broader network involved. Narcotics smuggling in the Northeast has increasingly become a corridor for illicit drug trafficking due to its proximity to the Golden Triangle, one of the world’s largest drug-producing areas.