Two Myanmar nationals detained in Arunachal with suspected heroin worth Rs 26 lakh
The joint operation by 21 Assam Rifles and Arunachal Pradesh Police recovered 130.09 grams of suspected heroin near Nongkey village in Changlang district.
ITANAGAR/GUWAHATI- Two Myanmar nationals were detained in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh after a joint operation by the 21 Assam Rifles and Arunachal Pradesh Police led to the recovery of 130.09 grams of a substance suspected to be brown sugar or heroin, officials said.
The operation was carried out on Friday near Nongkey village under Nampong Police Station, close to the Indo-Myanmar border. The suspected contraband was allegedly concealed in 10 soap cases and is estimated to be worth around ₹26 lakh in the international market.
The two individuals are currently in custody at Nampong Police Station, where interrogation is underway. Investigators are seeking to establish the source of the suspected narcotics and determine whether the detainees have links with a wider drug-trafficking network.
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A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Home Minister confirms operation
Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung confirmed the operation and described the seizure as another setback to cross-border narcotics trafficking.
“Another major blow to cross-border drug trafficking,” Natung said in a post on X, adding that the operation was based on credible intelligence and involved coordinated action by Changlang District Police and 21 Assam Rifles.
According to the minister, the two foreign nationals were intercepted under Nampong Police Station and 130.9 grams of suspected heroin was recovered from their possession.
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Investigation focuses on supply network
The seizure comes amid an intensified crackdown on the movement of narcotics along the Indo-Myanmar border.
Changlang shares an international boundary with Myanmar, and security sources cited in the report said the district has increasingly been used as a transit corridor for drugs originating from across the border.
However, the exact origin of the seized substance and the wider network, if any, remain to be established.
The suspected narcotic is also yet to receive forensic confirmation. Police are now focusing their investigation on identifying the alleged supply chain and determining whether other individuals are involved on either side of the international border.
The latest operation highlights the continuing security and enforcement challenge posed by cross-border narcotics trafficking in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly in districts bordering Myanmar.
