Assam Police intercepted a vehicle on the Silchar-Aizawl bypass in Cachar district late Sunday, seizing 30,000 Yaba tablets valued at Rs 9 crore, in a major blow to cross-border drug trafficking networks. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the haul on X, crediting the operation to the ongoing "#AssamAgainstDrugs" initiative led by Cachar Police. The consignment, originating from neighbouring Mizoram—a known transit hub for narcotics from Myanmar's Golden Triangle—highlights the porous Indo-Myanmar border's role in fuelling Northeast India's substance abuse crisis.
Yaba, a potent methamphetamine-caffeine cocktail dubbed "crazy medicine" in Thai, is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance under India's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, with severe penalties for possession or smuggling. No arrests were reported immediately, but investigations are underway to trace suppliers and distribution chains.
The seizure underscores Assam's escalating battle against synthetic drugs, which have surged since the COVID-19 lockdowns disrupted traditional heroin routes. Cachar, strategically located along National Highway 37, has emerged as a hotspot for such interstate consignments, with police reporting over 50 similar busts in 2025 alone, netting substances worth Rs 150 crore.
Yaba's affordability—tablets sell for Rs 50-100 on the street—makes it accessible to youth, contributing to rising addiction rates: a 2024 state survey by the Social Welfare Department revealed over 2 lakh users in Assam, predominantly aged 18-30, straining rehabilitation centres like the Guwahati-based Ashiana. The drug's amphetamine base induces euphoria but leads to psychosis, cardiovascular damage, and violent behaviour, exacerbating social issues in tea garden communities and urban fringes.
Sarma, who launched the "#AssamAgainstDrugs" campaign in June 2024 with a Rs 100 crore allocation for awareness and enforcement, reiterated the state's commitment to eradication. "The police are committed to a drug-free Assam," he posted, aligning with the Assam Police's Special Task Force (STF) strategy that integrates intelligence from Mizoram and Manipur forces.
Recent collaborations, including joint operations under the Northeast Frontier Railway's anti-smuggling drives, have yielded results, but challenges persist amid Myanmar's political instability post-2021 coup, which has boosted poppy cultivation. Critics, including opposition Congress leaders, praise the bust but urge addressing root causes like unemployment in border districts, where trafficking offers lucrative alternatives.
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As forensic analysis confirms the tablets' purity—estimated at 80% methamphetamine—the case could lead to charges under NDPS Sections 21 and 27A, potentially life imprisonment for traffickers. Sarma's administration plans community outreach in Cachar, including school programmes and de-addiction camps, to sustain momentum. This haul not only disrupts supply lines but also reinforces Assam's resolve, signalling to syndicates that the Northeast's gateways are increasingly fortified against the scourge.
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