Operation Trident: Amit Shah announces major anti-drug crackdown across Northeast

Security agencies have struck a decisive blow against international narcotics syndicates operating along India's northeastern borders, arresting 18 operatives and exposing a ₹100 crore hawala money trail under Operation Trident.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that central intelligence and law enforcement agencies, operating alongside state police forces in Assam, Mizoram, and Manipur, conducted simultaneous raids on October 23 across 38 strategic locations.

The operation targeted a deeply entrenched cross-border cartel trafficking illegal narcotics through what Shah described as the "Death Triangle Corridor" spanning India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. Beyond the arrests, enforcement officers seized 500 explosive detonators and ₹12 lakh in cash, while initiating heavy financial sanctions against the syndicate.

Seizures and financial penalties under Operation Trident

The coordinated offensive severely crippled the financial pipeline supporting border narcotics operations, resulting in immediate freezing orders and asset attachments across multiple jurisdictions.

Dismantling cross-border narco-networks

Commending the joint anti-narcotics teams, Shah reiterated the Modi government's commitment to eradicating all illicit drug networks across India by December 31, 2029. He described the operation as another lethal blow against organized cartels attempting to destabilize the region.

The crackdown forms part of a larger national security effort to secure border regions and choke off illegal funds generated by international cartels. According to the Narcotics Control Bureau, increased instability in neighbouring Myanmar has escalated illicit poppy cultivation and methamphetamine smuggling into northeastern states, making aggressive border operations like Operation Trident vital for regional stability.

Alongside strict law enforcement, the government continues its nationwide demand-reduction campaigns, including the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, which has reached over 35 crore citizens as part of the broader security and governance vision for the country.