Guwahati: A total of 460 foreign nationals, including 439 from Myanmar, have been arrested in Mizoram for various crimes over the past five years up to May 2025, according to police data shared with the media.
During the same period, the state police seized narcotic substances—including heroin, methamphetamine, crystal meth, and ganja—worth Rs 770.95 crore.
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Overall, 15,673 people were arrested in different criminal cases, including 14,432 locals and 781 from other states. Crimes committed by foreign nationals included drug and arms trafficking, child sexual abuse, forgery, burglary, theft, and visa violations.
Besides Myanmar nationals, 18 Bangladeshis and three foreigners from other countries were also arrested.
The highest number of foreign arrests occurred in 2022, a year after the military coup in Myanmar, with 124 apprehended, followed by 106 in 2023 and 89 in 2024. This year alone, 57 foreigners—including 53 Myanmarese—have been arrested so far.
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Among the total arrests, 1,666 were for smuggling narcotics, 254 under the Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act, 3,704 for theft, 2,917 for burglary, and 1,694 under the Mizoram Liquor Act, which bans the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcohol.
Specifically, among the Myanmar nationals, 185 were booked for drug smuggling, 66 for visa violations, 43 for arms and explosives, 40 for theft and burglary, and nine each for murder and child sexual abuse. Except for four Bangladeshis charged under the Arms Act, all foreign nationals were booked under the Foreigners Act.
The data highlights Mizoram’s ongoing struggle with drug trafficking from Southeast Asia, particularly Myanmar, with the value of drugs seized rising sharply in recent years: Rs 43.43 crore in 2022, Rs 189.66 crore in 2023, Rs 211.63 crore in 2024, and over Rs 106.56 crore between January and May 2025 alone.