Tripura Police achieved a major breakthrough in their ongoing crackdown on narcotics by seizing approximately 1.5 lakh Yaba tablets valued at around Rs 7.5 crore during a routine vehicle checking operation in North Tripura district. The operation also led to the arrest of a suspected interstate drug trafficker, officials said on Monday.
The seizure was made on Sunday evening during a routine inspection conducted by personnel of Damchhara Police Station at Purba R.K. Pur area in Damcherra. Acting on suspicion, police intercepted a vehicle bearing registration number ML-05-AA-0644 that had entered Tripura from neighbouring Assam.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Panisagar, Kislay Sisodia, said the vehicle was subjected to a thorough search after following all mandatory legal procedures. The search was carried out in the presence of an Executive Magistrate, forensic experts, and senior police officials to ensure transparency and compliance with legal norms.
During the inspection, officers discovered approximately 1.5 lakh Yaba tablets concealed inside a specially fabricated hidden chamber within the vehicle. Yaba, a highly addictive synthetic drug containing methamphetamine and caffeine, is commonly trafficked across international and interstate borders.
The arrested individual has been identified as Anup Nuniya (23), a resident of the Shilkuri area under Silchar Police Station in Assam’s Cachar district. Preliminary investigation suggests that the vehicle was allegedly being used by an organised interstate drug trafficking network to transport the contraband into Tripura.
Police have registered a case against the accused under the relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Investigators are now working to identify other members of the trafficking syndicate and trace the wider network involved in the illegal drug trade.
Officials said the seized Yaba tablets and the accused will be produced before the competent court as per legal procedures. The successful operation underscores Tripura Police’s continued efforts to strengthen border surveillance and curb the smuggling of narcotics into the state, reinforcing its commitment to dismantling organised drug trafficking networks operating in the region.
