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A Myanmar national was arrested with suspected opium and cash during a joint anti-drug operation along the Indo-Myanmar border in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district on May 7.

The operation was carried out by a joint team of Nampong Police and the Special Task Force (STF) at Nampong following specific intelligence inputs regarding illegal cross-border movement and suspected narcotics trafficking.

Police identified the accused as 40-year-old Laho Kaita Kaisan, a Myanmar national who was allegedly attempting to enter Indian territory illegally when he was intercepted by security personnel.

During the search, the team recovered around 420.5 grams of suspected opium along with cash amounting to Rs 1 lakh from his possession. The seized contraband and cash were confiscated as per legal procedure.

Officials said surveillance along the Indo-Myanmar border has been intensified in view of rising concerns over cross-border infiltration and drug smuggling activities in the region. Investigators suspect the accused could be linked to a larger interstate or international narcotics network.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the NDPS Act, the Immigration Act and the Foreigners Act. Further investigation is underway.