90% of synthetic drugs entering India traced to Myanmar: DRI, IB report

New Delhi: A growing crisis in conflict-hit Myanmar is rapidly spilling over into India, raising alarm bells across security and intelligence agencies. India is now facing a significant national security challenge as heavily armed drug cartels exploit Myanmar’s instability to push vast quantities of synthetic drugs across the border.

According to intelligence inputs from both the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Intelligence Bureau, an estimated 90 per cent of synthetic drugs entering India originate from Myanmar, and are increasingly making their way through porous and poorly monitored borders into India’s northeastern states, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

Cheap to source, profitable to sell

One of the most trafficked drugs is ‘Yaba’, often referred to as the “madness drug”. Sold at just ₹10 per tablet in Myanmar, Yaba is fetching between ₹1,000 to ₹1,200 in the Indian market. The soaring demand has turned it into a major smuggling commodity alongside methamphetamine and fentanyl--both highly addictive and dangerous synthetic drugs.

The market is so lucrative that the meth trade alone is now valued at over ₹1.5 lakh crore annually, according to Indian investigators. A significant portion of this trade is believed to be controlled by Myanmar’s United Wa State Army, a powerful armed militia operating with near autonomy.

Insurgents, refugees, and unchecked borders

The delicate socio-political crisis in Myanmar has made the job of Indian law enforcement even more difficult. As waves of refugees cross into India, particularly into Mizoram, cartels are exploiting the situation by embedding drug carriers among civilians. Some refugees are reportedly coerced or paid to act as couriers.

India’s 500-kilometre-long border with Mizoram has become a favoured entry point. Dense forests, mountainous terrain, and the Tiau River provide ideal cover for traffickers, making surveillance and enforcement incredibly challenging.

Key smuggling hotspots include Champhai district, which lies close to the river, and Zokhawthar village, near the India-Myanmar border. From here, drugs are trafficked into Assam, and some consignments are even moved further out of India, positioning the region as both a consumption and a transit hub.

Cartels and militias: A dangerous nexus

Investigations have reportedly revealed that these cross-border cartels receive backing from armed insurgent groups such as the Chin National Army. These groups not only protect drug tunnels but also facilitate large-scale operations through the border.

Other key players include the Shan State Army and People’s Militia Forces, who are heavily involved in the heroin trade. These groups maintain fully operational drug labs in Myanmar’s Kachin and Chin states, with proceeds from the drug business funding arms and ammunition.

UN flags rising Meth production

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in a report published in May 2025, highlighted a sharp rise in methamphetamine production and trafficking in the region--particularly in Myanmar’s Shan State. According to the UN, a record 236 tonnes of meth were seized in East and Southeast Asia in 2024, marking a 24 per cent increase from the previous year.

However, this figure reflects only the intercepted shipments. “The actual amount reaching the streets is likely much higher,” said Benedikt Hofmann, Regional Representative, UNODC, who described the situation as “unprecedented”.

India's growing challenge

India shares a long land border and a maritime boundary with Myanmar, including trafficking-prone stretches such as the Cox’s Bazar–India maritime corridor via Bangladesh. These routes, already challenging to police, have become even more vulnerable due to Myanmar’s internal conflict.

IANS