Imphal: Security forces in Manipur on Tuesday said they had arrested 14 individuals, including militants and drug traffickers, and unearthed an illegal liquor production unit during a series of coordinated operations across the state.
A defence spokesperson said joint operations involving the Army, Assam Rifles, and Manipur Police spanned seven districts—Churachandpur, Bishnupur, Chandel, Thoubal, Kakching, Imphal West, and Imphal East—over the past week.
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The crackdown resulted in the arrest of 11 militants linked to valley and hill-based groups such as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), and the People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK). Authorities also seized five sophisticated firearms, narcotics, and other war-like stores.
In Imphal West, three PLA and KCP operatives allegedly involved in extortion were taken into custody. Security forces also recovered motorcycles, mobile phones, multiple SIM cards, and identity documents including Aadhaar and PAN cards.
Meanwhile, in Churachandpur district, police intercepted two drug smugglers—Thanglunpau Sukte (32) and Hauginlian Phaipi (35)—at the Guite check gate, recovering 176 soap cases containing 1.9 kg of brown sugar hidden in a car. In Imphal East, another individual, Aribam Mansish (23), was arrested with 1.94 kg of ganja.
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A separate raid in Keirao Louthok Loukon, Imphal East, uncovered an illicit local liquor bottling facility.
Authorities seized an iron bottling machine, hundreds of empty bottles and caps, suspected opioid codeine-filled containers, camouflage clothing, and equipment used for large-scale illegal production.
In a major seizure, the Assam Rifles, in coordination with the Narcotics Control Bureau, recovered 138.5 kg of opium worth nearly Rs 6.9 crore from a concealed cache near Sajik Tampak in Chandel district.