Aizawl, Aug 13: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted searches at five locations in Mizoram as part of its investigation into an international methamphetamine trafficking network linked to the seizure of more than six kg of the synthetic drug from a Myanmar boat near Barren Island in the Bay of Bengal in November 2024.
The searches were part of a coordinated operation at 13 locations across Mizoram and Tamil Nadu. The NIA recovered Rs 22.38 lakh in Champhai and Rs 20.73 lakh in Aizawl, besides seizing several digital devices for forensic examination.
The case originated in November 2024, when Andaman and Nicobar Police seized more than six kg of methamphetamine, along with a satellite phone and other items, from a Myanmar boat near Barren Island. Six Myanmar nationals were arrested and later chargesheeted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Foreigners Act, 1946.
The NIA took over the investigation and re-registered the case on August 11, 2025. The accused are currently in judicial custody.
The latest searches in Champhai and Aizawl focused on tracing the financial and logistical links of the transnational narcotics network and identifying other persons allegedly involved in the trafficking operation.
The NIA said further investigation was underway to establish links between the seized consignment and wider international drug syndicates and identify additional members of the network.
