New Delhi, May 22 -- The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized around 60,000 kg of smuggled foreign-origin areca nuts in two major operations conducted in the North-East region, Ministry of Finance said on Friday.

The seizures were made by the Guwahati Zonal Unit of DRI during operations carried out yesterday and earlier this week in Mizoram and Assam following specific intelligence inputs.

According to the ministry, initial investigations revealed that the foreign-origin dried areca nuts were smuggled into India from Myanmar through the Myanmar-Mizoram border.

In one of the operations, the DRI was assisted by the 38 Battalion of the Assam Rifles. So far, five persons have been arrested in connection with the smuggling a...