Aizawl, Oct 16 (IANS): The Assam Rifles, which has been guarding the unfenced 510 km of border with Myanmar, have seized different types of drugs worth Rs 66.27 crores and arrested seven drug peddlers including two Myanmarese, during the past week, officials said here on Wednesday.

A senior Assam Rifles official said that during the five separate operations, they seized 331 grams of heroin, 22.309 kg of methamphetamine tablets, 7.6 kg of ganja (Marijuana) and 90 lakhs of illegal Indian currencies during the past week.

The official said that five Indians and two Myanmar nationals were apprehended in connection with the recovery and smuggling of the drugs.

Officials said that all the drugs smuggled from Myanmar and through Mizoram intended to ferry southern Assam to further transport these to Bangladesh or other parts of India.

Smuggling of drugs, mostly heroin and methamphetamine tablets, also known as party tablets or Yaba, into India, has risen after the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021.

Mizoram, southern Assam and Tripura have become corridors of drug smuggling as the three northeastern states share borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh.

After the seizure of the drugs, Police are taking necessary legal action against the smugglers under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985.

“The success of the operations is due to the relentless efforts and seamless synergy between all law enforcing agencies in Mizoram -- Assam Rifles, Mizoram police and excise department Mizoram,” an Assam Rifles statement said.

It said: “Ongoing smuggling of drugs, explosives and war-like materials and contraband items is a major cause of concern for the state of Mizoram and India. And the series of operations have once again shown the resolve of Assam Rifles in curbing illegal activities along the India-Myanmar border.”