The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized around 60,000 kilograms of smuggled foreign-origin areca nuts during two major operations conducted in the North-East region earlier this week and yesterday. Five people have been arrested in connection with the smuggling activities.
According to officials, the operations were carried out by the Guwahati Zonal Unit of the DRI in the states of Mizoram and Assam following specific intelligence inputs regarding the illegal transportation of areca nuts.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the dried foreign-origin areca nuts were smuggled into India from Myanmar through the Myanmar, Mizoram border. In one of the operations the DRI team was assisted by the Assam Rifles particularly the 38 Battalion.
Officials said the illegal influx of areca nuts from neighbouring countries is causing serious economic losses to domestic areca nut growers and posing challenges to economic security in border regions.
Further investigation into the smuggling network is currently underway.
