NCB, Manipur police arrest alleged drug supplier wanted in NDPS cases

The accused was allegedly part of a Myanmar-based drug trafficking syndicate that routed methamphetamine and heroin through the Northeast, NCB said.

A joint team of Manipur Police and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested a man accused of being a major supplier and wanted in multiple Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases during a raid in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Wednesday, police said.

The arrestee, Nengjatuan alias Tuanpi, was allegedly part of a Myanmar-based transnational drug trafficking syndicate that routed methamphetamine and heroin through the Northeast for distribution in India and Bangladesh, the NCB said.

Tuanpi was arrested from Hotel Venus in Churachandpur district during a raid conducted by the joint team.

“The arrested individual is alleged to be a major drug supplier and is wanted in multiple NDPS cases registered with NCB, DRI and Manipur Police,” Manipur Police said in a statement.

A separate statement issued by the NCB said the arrested individual is a ‘drug kingpin’ and a resident of Haichin, Chin State, Myanmar, and is part of a Myanmar-based transnational drug trafficking syndicate.

“The arrest follows months of intelligence development, technical surveillance, coordinated interstate operations and sustained investigations, underscoring NCB’s strategy of targeting the leadership of transnational drug trafficking networks rather than merely intercepting individual consignments,” the statement further said.

“Investigation has established that he was one of the principal international suppliers operating from Chin State, controlling a trafficking network that routed Methamphetamine and Heroin through Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and Tripura for distribution across different parts of India and Bangladesh,” the statement added.

Tuanpi is wanted in multiple NDPS cases registered by the NCB and other Drug Law Enforcement Agencies. He is the principal accused in three NCB cases involving seizures of approximately 28.22 kg of methamphetamine tablets and 1.278 kg of heroin, valued at over ₹25 crore, officers said.

He is also linked to seven other NDPS cases registered by Churachandpur Police, Singngat Police and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), officers added.

The investigation revealed that the gang operated through a well-organised network of international suppliers, cross-border couriers, transport coordinators, local facilitators, receivers and financial handlers. The syndicate has so far been linked to seizures of methamphetamine, heroin and proceeds of crime collectively valued at over ₹53 crore. Financial investigations are continuing to identify additional proceeds of crime, assets and other members of the network, officers said.

Over the past several months, the NCB has systematically dismantled the syndicate through a series of intelligence-led operations, resulting in the arrest of several key members, including carriers, receivers, transport coordinators and local facilitators operating across Manipur and Assam.