Aizawl: The Mizoram government has decided to draft state-specific legislation or amend existing laws to strengthen the state’s legal framework for tackling drug trafficking, substance abuse and related crimes.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Mizoram State Core Committee on Fight Against Drugs chaired by Chief Minister Lalduhoma in Aizawl on Tuesday.
Home Minister K. Sapdanga, Excise and Narcotics Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar and other members of the core committee attended the meeting.
Officials said the proposed panel would examine existing legal provisions and recommend a stronger legal framework tailored to Mizoram’s specific challenges in combating drug trafficking, substance abuse and related offences.
The meeting also decided to simplify the reimbursement of court witness expenses by exempting such payments from the Integrated Financial Management and Information System (IFMIS) route. It also deliberated on setting up anti-drug committees in every locality and village across the state.
The committee reviewed progress reports submitted by the Excise and Narcotics Department, Mizoram Police, Social Welfare Department and the Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA).
According to the police, 319 drug-related cases were registered in 2025, leading to the arrest of 483 people. In the first six months of 2026, 219 cases were registered and 312 people were arrested.
Police attributed the rise in cases and arrests to changing trafficking patterns, with smugglers increasingly transporting smaller consignments more frequently. Improved enforcement capabilities and better equipment have also enhanced detection and arrests, officials said.
Lalduhoma appreciated the efforts of the Police, Excise and Narcotics, Social Welfare departments and voluntary organisations involved in anti-drug initiatives. He said that while the drug problem could not be eliminated overnight, sustained efforts had begun to produce visible results.
Officials of the Excise and Narcotics Department told the meeting that Operation Jericho, a joint anti-drug campaign launched by the Excise Department and Police in collaboration with civil society organisations, had significantly reduced the availability of illicit drugs, resulting in a sharp increase in street prices. They also reported a decline in the availability of cough syrup and other commonly abused pharmaceutical drugs.
The Social Welfare Department said nearly 30 per cent of beneficiaries admitted to the Hulhhliap Short Stay Centre, a detoxification centre for drug users established at Neihbawi near Aizawl in June 2025, had successfully overcome drug addiction.
The department also informed the meeting that 198 beneficiaries had received training in 13 skill development courses, while 21 beneficiaries had been assisted under the Bana Kaih Chief Minister’s Special Package.
Representatives of the CYMA presented a report on anti-drug initiatives undertaken through its Anti-Drugs Squad and Operation Jericho. They said the organisation, with government support, is expanding rehabilitation facilities for persons with substance use disorders at the Tawngtaina Bethel Camping Centre (TBCC) in Aizawl.
The meeting also expressed concern over the growing prevalence of cannabis use and the continued rise in cough syrup abuse despite the reported decline in heroin availability.