Manipur Police have arrested five individuals linked to banned militant outfits for their roles in drug trafficking and extortion, highlighting the growing nexus between insurgency and organized crime along the Indo-Myanmar border.
BY PC Bureau
In a series of coordinated operations, Manipur Police have arrested five individuals, including members of two proscribed insurgent groups, for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking and extortion across different districts of the state, officials said on Wednesday.
Three of the arrested individuals are reportedly members of the newly formed Chin Kuki Mizo Army (CKMA), a militant outfit that has recently surfaced in the conflict-ridden region of Churachandpur. The trio, all residents of Churachandpur district, are accused of facilitating drug transactions along the porous Indo-Myanmar border. According to police, the group was helping smuggle drugs from Phaisat, a known hub for narcotics in neighboring Myanmar, which has long served as a transit point for illegal substances entering India’s northeast.
“The CKMA is a relatively new entrant among Kuki insurgent outfits, and our investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of their network and affiliations,” a senior police officer said. Arms and communication equipment—including three firearms, several rounds of ammunition, and three radio sets—were seized during the operation, further indicating the group’s involvement in organized criminal activity.
Intelligence based combing operations and cordon and search operations are being carried out extensively to nab the culprits involved in extortion activities in the state.
During such operations, the following arrests and seizure were made:
On 28.04.2025, security forces arrested… pic.twitter.com/xxsW1rJUmW— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) April 29, 2025
ALSO READ: Pahalgam Attack Forces Mass Closures of Tourist Spots
In a separate case, security forces arrested a woman identified as a member of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (People’s War Group) from Kwaksiphai in Bishnupur district. Police allege she was actively engaged in extortion activities in the Thoubal area, where underground extortion networks tied to valley-based insurgent groups have historically targeted businesses and civilians for funds.
Additionally, another individual affiliated with the outlawed Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP-Noyon faction) was apprehended from Sekmai in Imphal West district. He too was allegedly involved in a series of extortion cases, according to officials.
Background:
Manipur, a state plagued by decades of insurgency, has long struggled with the dual threats of ethnic militancy and narco-trafficking, exacerbated by its proximity to Myanmar. Several insurgent outfits—often divided along ethnic lines—operate in the state’s hills and valleys, funding their operations through extortion, arms smuggling, and the burgeoning cross-border drug trade. The recent surge in the formation of smaller splinter groups like CKMA points to shifting allegiances and fragmentation within larger insurgent networks, often fueled by competition for territory and resources.
The state police, in coordination with central security agencies, continue to intensify counter-insurgency operations amid concerns about renewed instability in the region.
