In a significant late-night operation on April 11, 2025, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted a 12-wheeler truck and seized 52.67 kg methamphetamine tablets, valued at Rs. 52.67 crore in the international drug market, on the outskirts of Aizawl, Mizoram.

The operation uncovered a novel method of concealing and transporting smuggled drugs — 53 meticulously packed, brick-sized packets were found hidden within the folds of the truck’s tarpaulin cover.

The packets bore inscriptions such as “3030 Export Only” and “999”, alongside diamond symbols, and contained orange-pink tablets. Tests conducted using the NDPS Field Test Kit confirmed the tablets contained methamphetamine.

The truck, registered in Nagaland, had originated from Zokhawthar—a sensitive border town near the Indo-Myanmar frontier—and was enroute to Tripura. DRI intercepted the vehicle before it left Mizoram. Notably, the truck carried no declared goods at the time. Earlier, it had transported cement from Meghalaya to Champhai before continuing to Zokhawthar, where the contraband was loaded.

The truck's driver and his assistant were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Preliminary investigations indicate that the drugs had been smuggled into Mizoram from Myanmar via the Zokhawthar sector.

The DRI has seized 148.50 kg methamphetamine tablets in the North Eastern Region since January 2025 till today, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to combating drug smuggling.

Methamphetamine smuggling interdiction: DRI seizure of concealed tablets disrupts cross-border supply chain and prompts NDPS Act arrests. DRI intercepted a 12-wheeler near Aizawl and seized 52.67 kg of methamphetamine tablets concealed in 53 brick-sized packets within the truck's tarpaulin; field tests confirmed methamphetamine, the vehicle had come from Zokhawthar on the Indo Myanmar border en route to Tripura, and the driver and assistant were arrested under the NDPS Act amid indications the consignment was smuggled into India from Myanmar.