Tripura: Police nab 2, seize Yaba tablets worth over Rs 35 lakh

Agartala (Tripura) [India], January 10 : Tripura police on Tuesday arrested two people and seized a total of 7,000 yaba tablets worth over Rs 35 lakh, the police said.
Acting on specific information regarding the smuggling of drugs near the Dharmanagar area in North Tripura district, an operation was launched by the police.
During this operation, three drug dealers arrived at the location. Two of them -- identified as Bahar Uddin, a 24-year-old from Chankhira, Assam and Sultan Ahmed, a 21-year-old from Assam -- were apprehended by the police.
A third person managed to escape on a bike, the police said.
From the two arrested individuals, the police recovered a total of 7,000 Yaba tablets, which are priced at over Rs 35 lakh in the black market and are extremely dangerous, causing intoxication that can last up to three days after a single use, the police informed.
The two arrested individuals are currently being questioned under the NDPS section, North Tripura Superintendent of Police, Bhanupada Chakraborty informed, adding that efforts are underway to apprehend the third individual who escaped.
Meanwhile, in a move to address the challenge of the drug menace in Tripura, a joint state-level anti-narcotics operational group meeting was held in the Agartala sector of Assam Rifles on January 6, officials said.
According to Assam Rifles, the meeting served as a platform for inter-agency coordination at the functional level to devise effective strategies to undertake operations under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
"Post the outbreak of ethnic riots in Manipur on May 3, 2023, there has been a shift in the smuggling of drugs and contraband items from Myanmar due to the non-availability of traditional routes through Manipur. Due to Kuki-Zo-Chin affinity existing along the Mizoram-Myanmar border and the Free Movement Regime (FMR), smuggling of drugs through Mizoram to South Assam and Tripura is being exploited by the UGs and drug cartels," Assam Rifles stated in an official release.
It added that the recent seizures along these routes are indicators of the potential threat in the future.
Also, during the meeting, all agencies emphasised the importance of a united front to tackle this pressing issue and highlighted the need for sustained efforts to create a drug-free environment in Tripura.