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Guwahati, May 17: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has successfully apprehended a prominent drug trafficker from Myanmar, who has been a significant source of methamphetamine and heroin smuggled into India.

This arrest took place in Delhi on Saturday, following thorough surveillance, intelligence gathering, and coordinated operations across states, as reported by the bureau on Sunday.

The individual, known as Thancintuang, also referred to as Chintuang or Tluanga, marks the second major Myanmar-based drug supplier captured by the NCB this year.

Chintuang is recognized as a key player in the drug trade along the Myanmar-Mizoram-Manipur-Assam-Tripura route, supplying substantial quantities of narcotics from Myanmar.

He was wanted in several cases filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act by the NCB and various drug enforcement agencies in the Northeast, including those in Mizoram and Tripura.

During the investigation, the NCB identified and arrested several associates and members of Chintuang's syndicate.

The bureau's financial investigations have led to the identification and temporary freezing of numerous bank accounts associated with the accused.

Investigations uncovered a sophisticated interstate and international drug trafficking network that spans from Myanmar to Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Tripura, and Bangladesh.

The syndicate employed various trafficking routes, local facilitators, transport coordinators, hawala channels, and financial handlers to facilitate the smuggling and distribution of narcotics across borders.

Since 2025, the NCB has enhanced its investigative strategies, focusing on dismantling entire syndicates rather than just intercepting drug shipments.

In the Northeast region alone, the NCB recorded 48 NDPS cases in 2025, leading to the arrest of 116 traffickers and the seizure of narcotics valued at around Rs 665 crore in the illegal drug market.

As of 2026, the NCB has already registered 31 NDPS cases, resulting in the arrest of 54 traffickers and significant drug seizures during ongoing enforcement efforts.