Myanmar national arrested with contraband in Manipur

Imphal, Mar 13: Manipur Police on Thursday informed that a Myanmar national was arrested on Wednesday by security forces at Tengnoupal district’s New Shijang village under the jurisdiction of the Moreh police station.

Identified as Hery, aged 32, and a resident of the border town Tammy on Myanmar side, the Myanmar national was caught with contraband.

The police have recovered WIY -tablet weighing about four and half kilograms (4.4 kg to be precise).

Security forces seized the motorcycle that Hery was using, along with mobile phone.

A First Information Report (FIR) has been taken up and an investigation has been undertaken.

Earlier in January, former Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh had said the eastern side of the state has been facing illegal infiltration problems from Myanmar; which has led to an alert in the western and southern regions to block the illegal entry of people from the neighbouring country.

On January 5, a total of 26 Myanmar nationals, all male, were deported to their home country Myanmar through Moreh.

“The Government of Manipur reaffirms its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to those fleeing war, ensuring their care and dignified departure. However, the State maintains a firm stance against allowing illegal migrants to stay back in Manipur,” Biren Singh shared on his social media handle.

It may be mentioned that the State government of Manipur completed its first phase of deportation of 38 illegal immigrants from Myanmar in May in 2024.

According to official sources, the Myanmar nationals were apprehended for entering the Indian territory illegally under the Foreigners Act 1946.

Notably, the Centre has successfully completed a 9.214 km-long border fencing project at Moreh in Manipur, which is also a key trade hub along the India-Myanmar border. This initiative aims to bolster security and curb illegal cross-border activities, as detailed in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Annual Report for 2023-2024.

The India-Myanmar border spans 1,643 km across the NE states of Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km), and Mizoram (510 km).

In December 2024, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) intensified fencing efforts near Moreh in Tengnoupal district along the 398 km India-Myanmar border. This initiative, part of a broader plan to fence the entire 1,643 km porous border at an estimated cost of ₹31,000 crore, aims to combat the smuggling of arms, ammunition, and narcotics.