Manipur ANTF arrests drug dealer in state’s first methadone seizure of 2026

Imphal: The Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF) of the Manipur police arrested an alleged drug dealer for illegal possession of methadone during an operation conducted in Thoubal district on Wednesday.

Officials reported on Thursday that this is the first such arrest and seizure in Manipur this year.

Methadone is a synthetic opioid used medically to treat chronic pain and opioid use disorder, especially among AIDS patients in the state.

A joint team from the ANTF and Thoubal police commandos, acting on intelligence inputs, conducted a surprise raid and arrested the drug dealer, later identified as Md. Farijuddin (54), a resident of Sangaiyumpham Part II, Loukhongpat, under Thoubal police station.

The arrest was made at his residence, where authorities recovered 84.57 grams of pure methadone in white crystalline powder form.

In Manipur, methadone, a synthetic opioid used in de-addiction centers, is often diverted from legal channels and sold illegally.

Past arrests highlight a network involving the pilferage of the substance from authorized facilities and its distribution through interstate drug cartels.

Methadone, a powerful opioid medication used for severe pain and opioid addiction, is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act. While it may legally be used under a doctor's supervision, its non-medical use is illegal.

The police reported that this incident is part of ongoing efforts by Indian law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking, which frequently involves the illegal sale and distribution of opioids and synthetic drugs across different states.