Mizoram: Govt to intensify action on areca nut smuggling from Myanmar

Aizawl: Home Minister K. Sapdanga informed the State Assembly on Monday that the government will scale up its operations against the smuggling of areca nuts from Myanmar.

Sapdanga said the continued illegal influx of the commodity from the neighbouring country over the past several years has caused significant economic losses to local cultivators and contributed to the circulation of unaccounted money in the region.

According to official data from 2019 to 2025, authorities registered 468 cases related to areca nut smuggling, leading to the arrest of 292 persons during the six-year period.

Of the total cases, 109 were registered for violations of prohibitory orders under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) or the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), while 359 cases were booked under the Customs Act, 1962.

A total of 184 persons were arrested for offences under the IPC/BNSS, and 108 others were apprehended under the Customs Act.

Sapdanga said those arrested for violating promulgated orders face trial before a judicial magistrate, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment as prescribed under the respective laws. Those booked under the Customs Act are prosecuted under its stringent provisions.

The Home Minister said the areca nuts entering from Myanmar bypass mandatory import duties and taxes, constituting a violation of customs regulations.

“As these goods are untaxed, they are sold at very low prices. This not only increases the circulation of illegal money but also severely affects local areca nut growers in marketing their produce,” he said.

Reaffirming the government’s “zero-tolerance” policy, Sapdanga said the ban on illegal trade would continue and border surveillance would be strengthened.

Earlier this month, he had stated that any person, including government officials, found involved in the illegal trade would face strict action. He had also alleged that some politicians and police personnel were previously linked to the illicit trade.

The Home Minister added that the ongoing enforcement drive has led to a noticeable increase in prices of locally produced areca nuts, offering some relief to farmers.