Assam Rifles seize ₹82.5 crore drugs, arms in Assam-Manipur ops
Synopsis
In a single day of coordinated operations across Assam and Manipur, security forces netted drugs worth ₹82.5 crore, six firearms, and three UNLF (K) cadres running an extortion network — laying bare the tight nexus between Myanmar-sourced narcotics and insurgent financing that continues to fuel Manipur's two-year ethnic crisis.
Key Takeaways
Assam Rifles , CRPF , and state police seized 10.891 kg of brown sugar worth nearly ₹80 crore in Jiribam, Manipur and Sribhumi, Assam .
About 14,000 Yaba/methamphetamine tablets worth nearly ₹2.5 crore were also recovered; six persons apprehended.
Six firearms were recovered in Imphal East ; three UNLF (K) cadres arrested for alleged extortion at Keishampat and Charangpat .
Ethnic violence in Manipur since May 2023 has claimed 306 lives , according to the state government.
Officials say insurgent groups are sourcing drugs from Myanmar to fund regrouping efforts after counter-insurgency setbacks.
Operations are part of the Centre's 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' , with security forces pledging continued crackdowns in the northeast.
Assam Rifles units, operating under the Army's Spear Corps in coordination with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police, have carried out large-scale seizures of narcotics and weapons across Assam and Manipur in intelligence-based operations conducted on Friday. The haul — valued at approximately ₹82.5 crore — includes brown sugar, methamphetamine tablets, and six firearms, with nine persons apprehended in total.
What Was Seized
Security forces recovered 10.891 kg of brown sugar worth nearly ₹80 crore and approximately 14,000 Yaba/methamphetamine tablets valued at nearly ₹2.5 crore during operations in Jiribam, Manipur and the Sribhumi district of Assam. Six persons were apprehended in connection with the narcotics seizure.
A separate intelligence-based operation by the Assam Rifles and Manipur Police in Imphal East district led to the recovery of six firearms. Follow-up operations at Keishampat and Charangpat resulted in the arrest of three active cadres of the UNLF (K) — an insurgent outfit — who were allegedly involved in an extortion network.
The Insurgency-Narcotics Link
According to a senior official, several insurgent outfits that were weakened during counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in Manipur are now reportedly attempting to regroup through extortion and recruitment. 'Several insurgent outfits that were dealt a heavy blow during Counter Insurgency/Counter Terrorism (CI/CT) operations in Manipur over the years, are trying to regroup through extortion and recruitment. There is also trafficking of narcotics from across the border that helps in funding their efforts,' the official said.
Drugs such as brown sugar and Yaba are sourced from Myanmar, where insurgent groups operating in the northeastern states maintain camps, according to officials. The Army has clarified that while it is not directly responsible for law and order in Manipur, narcotics smuggling is directly linked to insurgency financing.
Context: Manipur's Ongoing Crisis
The ethnic violence that has gripped Manipur since May 2023 has claimed 306 lives, according to the state government. The Assam Rifles is currently providing assistance to state police in recovering illegal weapons under these circumstances. The joint operations are aimed at dismantling illegal arms and extortion rackets operating in the state.
The Spear Corps noted in a post on social media platform X: 'The successful operations underscore the effectiveness of inter-agency coordination and the unwavering resolve of Assam Rifles to disrupt narcotics networks, deny illicit trafficking routes and safeguard the North-eastern states from the menace of drugs.'
Broader Anti-Narcotics Push
The operations align with the Centre's 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan', under which all agencies have been directed to intensify surveillance in states where drug trafficking is widespread. Officials warn that trafficking networks are actively targeting youth in the northeastern states, luring them with promises of high earnings. 'The effort is to bring about peace in Manipur. This can happen only through the seizure of narcotics and illegal arms. There is a close link to narcotics and what is happening in the state now. Illegal weapons are also a factor,' a senior official said.
Security forces have indicated that operations against major trafficking networks in the region will continue, with the Army and Assam Rifles set to maintain their support to civil authorities in the crackdown.
Point of View
A pattern that security agencies have flagged repeatedly but that rarely receives sustained attention. With 306 lives lost since May 2023 and the state still under fragile peace, the real question is whether seizures alone can break a supply chain that has its roots across an international border — and whether the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' has the cross-border diplomatic leverage to match its domestic enforcement ambitions.
NationPress
5 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Assam Rifles joint operations in Assam and Manipur?
Security forces seized 10.891 kg of brown sugar worth nearly ₹80 crore and approximately 14,000 Yaba/methamphetamine tablets worth nearly ₹2.5 crore, along with six firearms. Nine persons were apprehended in total across the operations in Jiribam (Manipur), Sribhumi (Assam), and Imphal East (Manipur).
Who carried out these anti-drug and arms operations?
The operations were conducted by Assam Rifles units under the Army's Spear Corps, in coordination with the CRPF and state police in Assam, and with Manipur Police in Imphal East. The inter-agency coordination is part of an ongoing counter-insurgency and anti-narcotics drive in the northeast.
What is the link between drugs and insurgency in Manipur?
According to senior officials, insurgent groups operating in northeastern India source drugs such as brown sugar and Yaba from Myanmar, where they maintain camps, and use narcotics trafficking to fund regrouping and recruitment efforts. The Army has noted that while it is not directly responsible for law and order, narcotics smuggling is directly tied to insurgency financing.
Who are the UNLF (K) cadres arrested and what were they doing?
Three active cadres of the UNLF (K) — an insurgent outfit — were arrested during follow-up operations at Keishampat and Charangpat in Manipur. They were allegedly involved in running an extortion network, which the joint operations were specifically aimed at dismantling.
How many lives has the Manipur ethnic violence claimed since 2023?
The ethnic violence in Manipur that erupted in May 2023 has claimed 306 lives, according to the state government. The ongoing instability has prompted the Assam Rifles to assist state police in recovering illegal weapons and disrupting narcotics supply chains linked to insurgent groups.
