Silchar, Feb. 6: The unimpeded smuggling of semi-precious jade stones from Myanmar through the international border has become a cause of concern to both the Centre and Aizawl, as the nation has been losing revenue from customs levy.

The customs and police departments have now decided to beef up security along the 404km stretch of the Myanmar-Mizoram border.

It will also intensify the intelligence network to tail the smuggling cartels in Mizoram. Jades of Myanmar have a lucrative market in Calcutta, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kochi and Chennai.

Jades are semi-precious stones, drilled out of jadeite and nephrite minerals, and have a great demand among the traders dealing in gems and jewellery.

The border area along Myanmar along Mizoram and Manipur is a great treasure-trove of jade minerals and stones.

According to the directorate of revenue intelligence in Aizawl, the jade minerals are smuggled at the rate of Rs 2lakh per kg in the underground hubs of the port area and Chandni Chowk in Calcutta.

On February 2, DRI officials arrested a Myanmarese national, Kam Khan Mang, 38, at the Lengpui airport in Aizawl, while he was about to board a flight to Calcutta.

The operation was kept secret and even Lalbiakthanga Khiagte, the superintendent of police in Aizawl, was not privy to it.

Khiangte today said over telephone that the DRI had kept the investigations secret and did not choose to communicate it to Mizoram police.

During the past 18 months, nearly a dozen of jade smugglers were arrested from Mizoram by the intelligence department and the police.

Sources in central customs and excise department said Mang was caught smuggling 3.7kg of jade gems worth Rs 7lakh. A voter photo identity card was also recovered from him.

This smuggling kingpin was staying in a rented apartment in Aizawl’s Zemabawk area from where he was operating his trade, eluding both police and the customs departments.

Mizos from adjoining Myanmar have the advantage of easily entering Mizoram, as they have been allowed access to 16km radius along the Indo-Myanmar boundary, for trade.

A majority of these illegal entrants work as domestic help and shop assistants, while some get involved in smuggling of narcotics, arms and jewels.