Four Myanmar nationals held for 'involvement' in drug trafficking in Manipur

Imphal: Four Myanmar nationals were arrested for allegedly being involved in the trafficking of drugs in Manipur's Churachandpur district, police said on Wednesday.

Acting on a tip-off, security forces intercepted a motorcycle and apprehended two persons from Bualkot village under the Behiang Police Station limits after 22 soap cases, suspected to contain heroin, were seized from their possession on Tuesday, a police statement said.

In another operation, two more persons were arrested from Behiang village with 44 soap cases of heroin seized from them, it said.


The value and quantity of the narcotic substances could not be ascertained as the operations were conducted in the remote areas, a police officer said.

The arrested persons have been identified as Thangsawmung (56), Kamkhenmung (56), Jhonmung (31) and Haukhul (55). All of them hail from Chikha village in Myanmar, the police statement said.

FIRs have been filed at the Behiang Police Station under the provisions of the Foreigners Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for further investigation, it said.

Former chief minister N Biren Singh, who has been raising issues related to the influx of drugs and illegal immigrants from Myanmar, lauded the Behiang police and the Assam Rifles for the arrest and seizure of drugs.

In a post on X, he said, "I appreciate the coordinated action of the joint team of Behiang Police Station & 37 Assam Rifles for arresting four Myanmarese nationals with 66 soap cases of suspected heroin from the Behiang in Churachandpur district."

These arrests once again highlight how Manipur is "being infiltrated by illegal immigrants actively involved in drug trafficking", Singh added.