Security forces nab two Myanmar nationals with heroin in Changlang

Itanagar: Security forces arrested two Myanmar nationals near Nongkey Village in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday. The joint operation involved the 21 Assam Rifles and Changlang District Police. Officers recovered 130.09 grams of suspected brown sugar, also identified as heroin, packed inside 10 soap cases. The stash carries an estimated value of Rs 26 lakhs on the international market.

Both suspects remain in custody at the Nampong police station where officials are conducting interrogations. Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung praised the operation on social media. "Another major blow to cross-border drug trafficking," Natung stated. He added that the mission remains part of a broader push to dismantle regional illicit networks.

Changlang has turned into a major transit route for narcotics entering India from Myanmar. These drugs often move from the border into Tinsukia and across Upper Assam. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed this shift in trafficking patterns. Sources suggest the region is struggling with a massive racket as Myanmar remains the world's largest producer of illicit opium.

The area sits near the Golden Triangle, a historical hub for heroin production. Insurgent groups in the Northeast frequently aid smugglers by identifying routes across the porous border. Local authorities have launched a wide crackdown to curb the inflow of contraband from these foreign factories.