BY PC Bureau
May 9, 2026: Manipur Police on May 8 arrested one person and seized a large quantity of suspected brown sugar during an anti-drug operation conducted near Hiltown under Churachandpur Police Station.
The arrested individual has been identified as Nehkholun Hangshing (45), a resident of K. Sharonphai village in Churachandpur district.
According to police, the accused was apprehended with 118 soap cases containing suspected brown sugar weighing approximately 1.360 kilograms.
The seizure was made during a police operation carried out in the proximity of Hiltown area under the jurisdiction of Churachandpur Police Station.
Officials stated that the recovered contraband has been seized as per legal procedures, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the source and intended destination of the narcotics consignment.
The arrest forms part of the continuing anti-narcotics drive being conducted by Manipur Police against drug trafficking and illegal substance networks operating in the state.
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The seizure once again highlights the deepening drug menace confronting Manipur. Security agencies have repeatedly warned that porous borders, armed conflict, economic instability, and the presence of organized smuggling networks have contributed to the steady inflow and movement of heroin and other illicit substances through the state. Churachandpur, Moreh, Tengnoupal, and other border-linked districts have frequently emerged as key transit points in the narcotics trade.
The growing circulation of drugs has also triggered serious social and public health concerns across Manipur, with local organizations, student groups, and civil society bodies repeatedly raising alarm over rising addiction among youth. Activists have accused trafficking syndicates of exploiting the prolonged instability and ethnic tensions in the state to expand illegal operations.
While the state government and police have intensified anti-drug campaigns under the “War on Drugs” initiative, community leaders continue to demand stronger border surveillance, rehabilitation programs for addicts, and tougher action against larger trafficking networks allegedly operating across the Northeast region.
