Mizoram, the scenic state on the eastern frontier of India, sharing borders with Myanmar is currently battling one of the worst illicit drug-related crisis’ in its history.

One of the sternest tasks that the modern-day society is facing is that of drug abuse. This multi-layered occurrence greatly affects the social and psychological behaviour of an individual in particular and the society in general.

In the last 20 years, the members of drug abuse have spread so disturbingly that it is causing serious fear to the international community. Drug abuse is now no longer narrow to a traditional user -groups, the youths of the industrialised urban areas join them too.

As per the records of the state excise and narcotics department, as many as 54 people including 12 women lost their lives due to substance abuse in Mizoram in 2019. On the other side, at least 3,254 people, were nabbed in drugs and alcohol-related issues in 2019.

In one more recent operation on Thursday, Assam Rifles troopers arrested two persons and seized a huge cache of drugs valued at Rs 6.50 crore in Champhai district bordering Myanmar.

An Assam Rifles statement said that acting on a tip-off, the troopers of the central paramilitary force arrested two youths from a hut in eastern Mizoram's Champhai district and seized 1,30,000 Methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 6.50 crore from their possession late Wednesday evening. Officials of the Excise and Narcotics Department in Mizoram accompanied the Assam Rifles troopers during the operation.

The two detainees were charged under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Methamphetamine tablets (also called Yaba tablet or party tablet) contain a mix of methamphetamine and caffeine and are misused as high-dosage drugs in India, Bangladesh and neighbouring countries.

The Narcotics Department has confiscated large consignments of these anti-cold medicines in recent times.

(With inputs from IANS)