Guwahati, Dec 23: The trend of smuggling opium-derived narcotics, especially heroin, into the Northeast is on the rise, as indicated by recent seizure data. This increase appears to correlate with a significant rise in poppy cultivation in Myanmar, which has reached a decade-high.

According to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), heroin seizures in the Northeast were recorded at 7 kg in 2023, increased to 9 kg in 2024, and dramatically rose to 31 kg this year, with Assam accounting for 17 kg of this total.

Data from the Assam Police reveals even higher figures, with heroin seizures escalating from 164 kg in 2023, alongside 162 kg of opium, to 174 kg in 2024. Other law enforcement agencies, including the Assam Rifles and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), have also reported numerous seizures of heroin, morphine, and opium throughout the region.

The Myanmar Opium Survey 2025 indicates a 17 percent increase in poppy cultivation in Myanmar over the past year, amid ongoing conflict and economic instability. Cultivation expanded from 45,200 hectares in 2024 to 53,100 hectares in 2025, reversing a previous decline and confirming a consistent upward trend since 2020.

Opium, which is derived from poppy plants, is the main natural ingredient used in the production of heroin. The primary sources of illicit opium globally are Afghanistan, Colombia, and Myanmar.

Notably, significant poppy cultivation has been reported in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, which borders Northeast India. This area, a focal point of conflict since the military takeover in 2021, has seen 552 hectares dedicated to poppy cultivation, indicating a shift towards the insecure western border regions.

Following a drastic decline in opium production in Afghanistan due to a Taliban ban in 2023, Myanmar has emerged as the largest source of illicit opium worldwide. The total opium output in Myanmar is estimated to be around 1,010 metric tonnes in 2025, which is more than double Afghanistan’s current production levels.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that Myanmar’s farmers earned between USD 300 million and USD 487 million from opium sales last year, making it a vital income source in the context of the country’s fragile legal economy.

In addition to opiates, Myanmar is also a significant center for the production of synthetic drugs like methamphetamine and ketamine, exacerbating what the UNODC describes as a “highly challenging illicit drug situation” across Southeast Asia and beyond.

Recent investigations by the NCB into a seizure of over 6 kg of heroin in Assam's Barak valley revealed that the drugs originated from Myanmar and were trafficked through forest routes in Manipur. Similar investigations by the DRI, Customs, Assam Rifles, and Manipur Police have traced other seized consignments back to Myanmar this year.

Historically, opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar and Southeast Asia was characterized by small, disorganized plots. However, since 2022, cultivation techniques in Myanmar have become more advanced, leading to increased yields and a greater influx of narcotics into neighboring regions.