On Thursday, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah commended the government's strong approach to drug trafficking. He said the Modi government is “mowing down drug cartels with full might.” His remarks followed a considerable drug bust in Assam on Sunday, which significantly disrupted the operations of drug networks in the area.

Shah shared a post on X stating, “In our vision to build a drug-free Bharat, our agencies launched massive operations strangling drug cartels and seized 30.4 kg of methamphetamine tablets while arresting three people in Assam. Our offensives against drugs will continue with ruthless force. Congratulations to the NCB, Assam Police, and the CRPF on this major breakthrough”.

On April 6, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), working closely with the Assam Police and CRPF, launched a well-coordinated crackdown on drug trafficking networks in Assam. The operation, which had been in the planning stages for over three months, led to the seizure of 30.4 kg of methamphetamine, commonly known as "YABA," in two different incidents. The first bust happened when NCB officials, acting on a tip-off, stopped a car in Silchar. They found 9.9 kg of meth hidden in the car’s boot. The driver, who was from Churachandpur in Manipur, was arrested at the scene. Authorities are now working to trace connections between this case and the more extensive drug network.

Later that same evening, the NCB, along with the Assam Police and CRPF, intercepted a Mahindra Thar in Silchar. This time, 20.5 kg of methamphetamine was found concealed in the spare tyre. Two more individuals from Churachandpur were taken into custody. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the operation and those involved.

This operation is part of a series of recent successful drug busts by the NCB in the region. On March 13, 2025, the agency seized a total of 110 kg of methamphetamine in two separate actions. In the first, carried out in Silchar, a man from Moreh, Manipur, was arrested with 7.5 kilograms of the drug. The second operation took place in Lilong, near Imphal, where 102.5 kg of methamphetamine was confiscated, and three people were taken into custody.

Investigations into these cases are ongoing, as authorities aim to break apart cross-border drug trafficking networks operating in India and neighbouring nations. The NCB has been increasing its presence in the Northeast by establishing new zonal offices in Siliguri, Itanagar, Agartala, and Imphal, along with a regional headquarters in Guwahati. A newly launched Field Office in Aizawl, Mizoram, has already made an impact; on March 24, it seized 10.814 kg of methamphetamine and arrested six people, including two foreign nationals from Myanmar.