Imphal: In a significant breakthrough, security forces have apprehended a key suspect linked to a major criminal network operating in the border regions of Manipur. The individual, allegedly involved in extortion and arms trafficking, was taken into custody on August 26 in a joint operation near the town of Moreh.
The operation, carried out by Assam Rifles, local police, and other paramilitary units, took place in the village of Haolenphai, Tengnoupal district. Officials said the teams acted on precise intelligence inputs and conducted a meticulously planned cordon and search operation in the early morning. The forces showed remarkable restraint and tactical acumen in the sensitive border area, ensuring a smooth mission.
The suspect is believed to have affiliations with the Village Volunteers Eastern Zone (VVEZ), a group that has been on the security radar for its involvement in criminal activities. A crucial piece of evidence—a mobile phone—was recovered from the individual. Authorities suspect this device contains vital digital records of the network’s extortion racket and illegal weapon smuggling operations across the porous Indo-Myanmar border.
This arrest marks a major success in the ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal syndicates that have exploited the region’s volatile situation and ethnic tensions. These groups are reported to have been extorting money from local businesses and residents while simultaneously facilitating illegal arms trade. The arrested individual was handed over to the Pallel Police Station in Kakching district for further interrogation and legal proceedings. The mobile phone is expected to provide key leads that could help unravel the larger criminal nexus.
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