Assam's crackdown on drug trafficking led to border clash with Mizoram?
"The crackdown on drug trafficking by the government of Assam under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has adversely affected drug traffickers and their political patrons, especially those belonging to the Mizo National Front in Mizoram," sources in the Assam government told Asianet Newsable.
FollowThe Assam government believes that its crackdown on drug trafficking and their political patrons was the major reason that led to violent clashes on the border between Assam and Mizoram. At least six Assam Police personnel lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries.
Assam and Mizoram share a boundary of about 165 km. The border districts in Mizoram are Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit, while Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi are on the Assam side.
The two governments have been accusing each other of encroaching upon their lands by building structures, carrying out plantations of banana saplings and betel nut. On July 25, tensions flared up after eight farm huts reportedly belonging to Mizo farmers were burnt down.
"The crackdown on drug trafficking by the government of Assam under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has adversely affected drug traffickers and their political patrons, especially those belonging to the Mizo National Front in Mizoram," sources in the Assam government told Asianet Newsable.
MNF is the ruling political party in Mizoram, with Zoramthanga at the helm of power in the state.
"It is no secret that many MNF leaders and functionaries have close links with Myanmarese across the international border with Mizoram. These links are leveraged to facilitate the flow of drugs, including synthetic drugs, from Myanmar to Mizoram and then to Assam and the rest of the country," an official said.
As per the sources in the security and defence establishment, there are two routes that are active for transportation of synthetic drugs, yaba tablets and other sedatives materials to other parts of the country and to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The route, which is more prolific, is through Mizoram, originates at Champhai. The other route is from Manipur's Moreh.
Since taking over as chief minister in Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma has destroyed drugs worth Rs 163 crore.
"The crackdown on drug trafficking -- seizure and destruction of huge quantities of narcotics and arrest of many drug dealers -- by the new government in Assam has upset some Mizo politicians who have links with the drug cartels," sources said in the state government.
Sarma has directed his police, forest department and other enforcement agencies to step up vigil along the Assam-Mizoram border to prevent illegal felling of logs inside Assam's forests and their transportation to Mizoram.
Sources said that Monday's aggression on the border was the result of this crackdown.
"These politicians have incited people in Mizoram to lay claim to Assam's territory in order to divert the attention of Assam Police and other enforcement agencies in the hope that vigil along the Assam-Mizoram border will become lax and the drug runners, timber smugglers and other criminals they patronize and gain from will be able to have a free run between the two states as had been happening in the past," sources said.
Asianet Newsable reached out to Mizoram government officials for a response to the story. However, they refused to react.
