Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday urged authorities to step up countermeasures to dismantle drug networks and work towards a drug-free India.

Commending the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for a major drug bust in Bengaluru, Singh said, “Kudos to the DRI for seizing 7 kg of cocaine worth ₹14.69 crore, busting an interstate smuggling racket.” The operation led to the arrest of two women—Laljamluvai from Manipur and Lalthangliani from Mizoram.

Biren Singh highlighted that the incident reflects the North East’s continued role as a major transit route for drug trafficking. “Such operations expose the deep-rooted threat of drug trafficking to our citizens across the country. We must intensify countermeasures to dismantle these networks and ensure a drug-free India,” he stated in a post on X.

During his tenure as chief minister, Singh had launched the “War on Drugs” campaign, which saw the destruction of vast poppy plantations in hill districts such as Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, along with the arrest of several drug peddlers.

He has also previously claimed that the ongoing violence in Manipur is linked to illegal immigration from Myanmar and the influence of drug mafias.