CHAMPHAI: With a population of 20,000, the district town of Champhai has a disproportionately large and thriving marketplace dotted with stores selling a wide range of household appliances, electrical wares, medicines, smartphones, footwear and others.
Located a mere 28 km from the border gates at Zokhawthar, Champhai is one of the largest trading centres after the state capital Aizwal, and caters to the needs of the hilly North-Eastern state of Mizoram and the bordering Chin State in Myanmar. But the disturbing fact is that the hustle and bustle is almost entirely driven by illegal trade
There are over 50 registered importers at Champhai, but only a few are active. Officially, trade is limited to import of a single consignment of betel nut a week, and a few parcels of Burmese energy drink. There is no trace of exports from India.
