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Crime
Customs Seize Smuggled Areca Nuts and Poppy Seeds Worth Nearly ₹18 Crore in Mizoram
✍️ Northeast Today
🗓 26 Sep 2026, 07:32 PM
👁 9
Customs officials in Mizoram confiscated smuggled areca nuts and poppy seeds estimated at nearly ₹18 crore, marking a major crackdown on illegal trade.
Customs authorities in the northeastern state of Mizoram announced the seizure of a large consignment of areca nuts and poppy seeds that had been smuggled into the region. The combined market value of the confiscated goods is estimated at close to ₹18 crore, according to the officials involved.
The operation, carried out by the state's customs and border enforcement units, intercepted the contraband before it could be distributed through local markets. Areca nuts, commonly used as a chewing stimulant, and poppy seeds, which have both culinary and illicit drug applications, are frequently targeted by smugglers due to high demand and lucrative returns.
Law enforcement officials said the seizure underscores their ongoing efforts to curb illegal trade routes that exploit Mizoram's porous borders with neighboring states and countries. The seized items will be retained as evidence while investigations continue to identify the network behind the operation.
No arrests were reported at the time of the seizure, but authorities indicated that further actions, including possible prosecutions, could follow as the probe progresses.
The operation, carried out by the state's customs and border enforcement units, intercepted the contraband before it could be distributed through local markets. Areca nuts, commonly used as a chewing stimulant, and poppy seeds, which have both culinary and illicit drug applications, are frequently targeted by smugglers due to high demand and lucrative returns.
Law enforcement officials said the seizure underscores their ongoing efforts to curb illegal trade routes that exploit Mizoram's porous borders with neighboring states and countries. The seized items will be retained as evidence while investigations continue to identify the network behind the operation.
No arrests were reported at the time of the seizure, but authorities indicated that further actions, including possible prosecutions, could follow as the probe progresses.