Author name: OnlineAge

GUWAHATI : A key Myanmar-based drug trafficker, who was operating as a major supplier of methamphetamine and heroin from across the border, was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), an official statement said here on Sunday. The arrest was made in Delhi on Saturday following extensive surveillance, intelligence development, coordinated interstate coordination and sustained follow-up operations by the NCB in its sustained crackdown on transnational drug trafficking networks operating along the India-Myanmar border, it said. The accused, identified as Thancintuang alias Chintuang alias Tluanga, is the second major Myanmar-based drug supplier nabbed by the NCB in 2026, it added. Chintuang had emerged as one of the most significant traffickers operating along the Myanmar-Mizoram-Manipur-Assam-Tripura corridor, and has been identified as a major international supplier of methamphetamine and heroin from the neighbouring country, the statement said. Investigations revealed his extensive involvement in organising cross-border trafficking networks routing narcotic consignments through Mizoram, Manipur, Assam and Tripura into various parts of India and Bangladesh. He was wanted in multiple cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act by the NCB and several drug law enforcement agencies. Chintuang was also accused in two NDPS cases registered by the Mizoram Police in 2025 relating to the suspected trafficking of methamphetamine and heroin. He was additionally found involved in six NDPS cases registered by the Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department in 2023, linked to heroin trafficking. Investigations indicated his involvement in illicit drug trafficking networks valued at approximately Rs 115 crore, the NCB statement said. He is linked to seven NDPS cases connected with the Myanmar-Mizoram-Tripura-Assam corridor, and is also suspected in five other cases associated with the Myanmar-Manipur-Assam axis. Chintuang was the prime accused in a 2024 NCB Agartala zone case involving the seizure of 14 kg of methamphetamine and 2.8 kg of heroin. He was also the prime accused in another NCB Agartala zone case of 2025 involving the seizure of 49.1 kg of methamphetamine tablets. During the investigation, several members of the syndicate and close associates of Chintuang were identified and apprehended by NCB, the statement said. It further said financial investigation in the cases led to the identification and temporary freezing of multiple bank accounts linked to the accused persons. Investigations revealed the existence of a highly organised interstate and international drug trafficking network extending from Myanmar to Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Tripura, and Bangladesh. The syndicate utilised multiple trafficking routes, local facilitators, transport coordinators, hawala channels and financial handlers for smuggling and distribution of methamphetamine and heroin across international and interstate borders. Since 2025, NCB has intensified its network-centric investigations by adopting both “top-to-bottom” and “bottom-to-top” approaches aimed at dismantling entire syndicates rather than merely intercepting consignments, the statement said. In the northeastern region alone, NCB registered 48 NDPS cases in 2025, resulting in the arrest of 116 drug traffickers and seizure of substantial quantities of narcotic drugs valued at approximately Rs 665 crore in the illicit drug market. In 2026, NCB has already registered 31 NDPS cases so far, resulting in the arrest of 54 drug traffickers and seizure of substantial quantities of narcotic drugs during sustained enforcement operations across the region. (Source: PTI)  

NEW DELHI : The Meghalaya government will host the North East India Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition (NEIINFRA) on June 11 and 12 that will see policymakers, investors, financial institutions and industry leaders deliberate on connectivity, investment and the region’s growth. At an event here on Friday, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said his state’s economy has doubled over the last five years, while capital investment has increased four times since 2018. Calling Meghalaya one of the fastest growing economies in the country, Sangma stressed that the state has been consistently growing at the same pace for the last three to four years, which is critical for investor confidence, according to a press release. Highlighting the Meghalaya Industrial Promotion Policy, the chief minister said the state has rolled out large incentives for investors. Underscoring Meghalaya’s strong entrepreneurship ecosystem, Sangma said the state has consistently been recognised for having the best ecosystem for entrepreneurs. He also spoke about Meghalaya’s expanding IT ecosystem, noting that the state’s first IT park is already packed while the upcoming second IT park has also received an overwhelming response from national and global industry leaders. Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Sanjay Jaju, appreciated Meghalaya’s rapid development trajectory and reiterated the government of India’s continued support towards infrastructure-led growth and regional integration in the northeast. He credited Sangma for Meghalaya’s rapid growth, describing it as the fastest-growing state in the country, the release said. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI :  Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday reiterated the NDA government’s commitment to reclaiming encroached land across the state, stating that ground-level operations have already begun as part of the administration’s larger campaign against illegal occupation of land. Taking to X, the Chief Minister said the government remains determined to recover vast stretches of land that it claims have been illegally encroached upon. “NDA 3.0 is committed to reclaiming over 1250 sq km of encroached land in Assam. We are already on the ground working towards realising this promise,” CM Sarma wrote. Along with the post, the Chief Minister also shared a video showing yellow JCB backhoe loaders demolishing structures and clearing large heaps of debris, including wooden planks and metal sheets, in what appeared to be a rural hilly area. Sarma has repeatedly asserted his government’s resolve to intensify eviction and land recovery drives in Assam. On the eve of taking oath as Chief Minister for a second consecutive term, Sarma, on May 11, had declared that the “land, identity and future” of Assam would remain “non-negotiable” under his administration. He had then pledged that the government would free nearly 5 lakh bighas of land from encroachment by significantly scaling up eviction drives during the NDA government’s new term, compared to operations carried out earlier. The Chief Minister had also used social media to announce what he described as a stronger and more aggressive campaign against illegal land occupation in the state. “Assam’s land, identity and future are non-negotiable. After freeing 1.5 lakh bighas of land from encroachment, NDA 3.0 moves ahead with a firm resolve to reclaim 5 lakh more bighas for the people of Assam. Because for us, Jati, Mati, Bheti comes first,” he had posted on X. The slogan “Jati, Mati, Bheti” — referring to community, land and homeland — has remained central to the BJP-led government’s political messaging in Assam, particularly on issues linked to identity and land rights. Meanwhile, CM Sarma has also reiterated the NDA government’s commitment to implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Assam, stating that every assurance made in the party’s election manifesto would be honoured. Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said the government was fully committed to carrying forward all promises outlined during the election campaign. “UCC is a part of our election manifesto. So every point in our election manifesto, not only UCC, all that we have mentioned in our election manifesto, we’ll try 100 per cent to implement,” Sarma said. His remarks come amid renewed national discussions surrounding the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in BJP-ruled states. The proposed UCC seeks to replace religion-based personal laws governing issues such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption with a uniform legal framework applicable equally to all citizens, irrespective of religion. (Source: IANS)