2 Myanmar Nationals Detained In Arunachal With Drugs Worth Rs 26 Lakh

Two Myanmar nationals were detained by a joint team of the Assam Rifles and Arunachal Pradesh Police near Nongkey village under Nampong Police Station in Changlang district on Friday.

The security personnel also recovered 130.09 grams of a substance suspected to be brown sugar, or heroin, concealed in 10 soap cases. The seized substance is estimated to be worth around Rs 26 lakh in the international market.

“Both individuals are under police custody at Nampong Police Station. Interrogation of the arrested duo is currently underway,” an official said.

Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung also confirmed the operation in a post on X.

“Another major blow to cross-border drug trafficking. In a well-coordinated joint operation based on credible intelligence, the Changlang District Police and 21 Assam Rifles successfully intercepted two foreign nationals under Nampong PS and seized 130.9 grams of suspected heroin concealed in 10 soap cases,” Natung said.

He commended the security personnel involved and said the state's fight against narcotics would continue until such networks were dismantled.

The arrests come amid an intensified crackdown on narcotics trafficking in Arunachal Pradesh, with security agencies conducting operations against suspected drug networks and making several arrests in recent months.

Changlang has emerged as a key area of concern because of its proximity to the international border with Myanmar. Security sources said the district is increasingly being used as a transit route for narcotics allegedly entering India from across the border.

“Changlang shares its international border with Myanmar. Myanmar is known for the production of illicit drugs, and a large network is involved in the narcotics trade,” a source said.

The region is also close to the Golden Triangle, the border area where Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet that has historically been associated with the production and trafficking of illicit opium and heroin.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has previously flagged Changlang as an emerging route for drug trafficking. He said narcotics enter Changlang from Myanmar before being transported towards Tinsukia and other parts of Upper Assam.

The narcotics trade in the Northeast has also been linked by security sources to insurgent groups operating in the region. A source alleged that some insurgent groups assist drug traffickers by helping identify routes for moving contraband across the international border.