Aizawl/Agartala, Nov 11 (IANS): Assam Rifles, which guards the 1643-km unfenced border with Myanmar along four northeastern states, on Monday in separate operations seized huge quantities of foreign cigarettes and drugs worth Rs 8.55 crore in Mizoram and Tripura, officials said.

Two smugglers were also arrested with this contraband.

Assam Rifles sources said that paramilitary troops in collaboration with local enforcement agencies, seized a substantial cache of Methamphetamine tablets and foreign-origin E-cigarettes, delivering a major blow to cross-border drug trafficking and smuggling activities.

The sources said that citing precise intelligence, Assam Rifles and Police personnel intercepted a white Swift Dzire suspected of cross-border smuggling along the Zokhawthar-Melbuk road in Mizoram’s Champhai district.

During the operation, the occupants of the car attempted to evade capture, abandoning a blue bag before fleeing the scene.

Upon search, the security personnel recovered 2.399 kg of Methamphetamine tablets valued at Rs 7.19 crore.

In a separate operation, Assam Rifles, along with Customs seized 339 foreign-origin e-cigarettes valued at Rs 8.59 lakh in the same Zokhawthar area.

The seized drugs and E-cigarettes were handed over to the police and Customs respectively for further legal action.

In Tripura, the Assam Rifles along with the Customs Department seized 10.4 lakh foreign cigarettes valued at Rs 1.27 crore, one Bolero car and apprehended two smugglers from Teliamuara in the Khowai district.

These successful operations against the drugs and foreign cigarettes underscore the commitment of Assam Rifles to counter the persistent threat of cross-border smuggling in Mizoram and Tripura, an Assam Rifles statement said.

The statement said that Mizoram is vulnerable to illicit trafficking networks.

“Assam Rifles remains vigilant and prepared to adapt its tactics in collaboration with local enforcement agencies to secure India's borders and prevent the inflow of illegal substances,” it added.

Varied drugs, especially heroin and methamphetamine tablets, also known as party tablets or Yaba, are smuggled into the northeastern states of India from Myanmar, which shares a 1,643-km unfenced border with four northeastern states – Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km) and Mizoram (510 km).