A joint team of Manipur Police and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested a man accused of being a key supplier and wanted in several Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases during a raid in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Wednesday, police said.
The detainee, Ningatwan alias Tuanpi, is allegedly part of a Myanmar-based transnational drug trafficking ring that smuggles methamphetamine and heroin across the country’s northeast for distribution in India and Bangladesh, the NCB said.
Tuanpi was arrested from Venus Hotel in Churachandpur district during a raid by the joint team.
“The arrested person is allegedly a major drug supplier and is wanted in several NDPS cases registered with NCB, DRI and Manipur Police,” Manipur Police said in a statement.
A separate statement from the National Central Bureau said the arrested person is a “drug lord” who resides in Haishin, Chin State in Myanmar, and is part of a transnational drug trafficking syndicate based in Myanmar.
“The arrest comes after months of developing intelligence, technical monitoring, coordinated operations between countries and ongoing investigations, which confirms the National Central Bureau’s strategy of targeting the leadership of transnational drug trafficking networks rather than simply intercepting individual shipments,” the statement said.
“The investigation established that he was one of the major international suppliers operating from Chin State, controlling a smuggling network that transported methamphetamine and heroin through Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and Tripura for distribution across various parts of India and Bangladesh,” the statement added.
Tuanpi is wanted in several NDPS cases registered by NCB and other drug law enforcement agencies. He is the main accused in three NBI cases involving the seizure of approximately 28.22 kg of methamphetamine tablets and 1,278 kg of heroin, with an estimated value of more than 28.22 kg of methamphetamine tablets. $25 crore, officers said.
It is also linked to seven other NDPS cases registered by Churachandpur Police, Singhenghat Police and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the officers added.
The investigation revealed that the gang operated through a well-organized network of international suppliers, cross-border couriers, transportation coordinators, local facilitators, recipients and financial handlers. To date, the gang has been linked to seizures of methamphetamine, heroin and proceeds of crime collectively valued at more than $100 million. $53 Crores. Officers said financial investigations were continuing to identify additional crime proceeds, assets and other members of the network.
Over the past few months, the NCB has systematically dismantled the syndicate through a series of intelligence-led operations, leading to the arrest of several key members, including transporters, receivers, transport coordinators and local facilitators operating across Manipur and Assam.
