Operation Trident: 18 Arrested, 1,424 Bank Accounts Frozen in Northeast Drug Crackdown

Guwahati: A major anti-narcotics operation across Assam, Mizoram and Manipur led to the arrest of 18 people and freezing of 1,424 bank accounts linked to an international drug trafficking cartel. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the October 23 raids under Operation Trident uncovered hawala transactions worth nearly ₹100 crore, with properties valued at ₹17.82 crore attached.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), along with central and state agencies, conducted simultaneous raids at 38 locations, seizing 500 detonators and ₹12 lakh in cash. The operation targeted a cross-border drug network allegedly led by Myanmar-based kingpin Thangcintuang, who was arrested earlier this year. Authorities said the crackdown aimed to dismantle the cartel’s financial and trafficking operations.