Manipur Police arrest 2 key accused in Rajasthan-linked drug trafficking network
Synopsis
Manipur Police have cracked open a cross-state drug supply chain, arresting two key accused — Roman Rai and Amit Kumar Thapa — who allegedly linked illegal poppy cultivators in Manipur's hill districts with drug traffickers in Rajasthan. With seven arrests across three NDPS cases and a court-issued non-bailable warrant against one accused, the operation signals an intensifying multi-agency push against a network that had been operating across some of India's most challenging terrain.
Key Takeaways
Manipur Police arrested Roman Rai (21) and Amit Kumar Thapa (35) on 25 October 2026 in connection with an interstate drug trafficking network.
The arrests were made in Kangpokpi and Bishnupur districts respectively by Senapati district police .
The network allegedly links illegal poppy cultivators in Manipur with drug traffickers in Rajasthan .
A non-bailable warrant (NBW) had been previously issued against Amit Kumar Thapa by a court.
A total of seven persons have now been arrested across three NDPS Act cases registered at Senapati Police Station.
Illegal poppy cultivation in Manipur spans six hill districts : Kangpokpi, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel, Tengnoupal, and Senapati.
Manipur Police have arrested two key accused in an interstate drug trafficking network allegedly connecting illegal poppy cultivators in Manipur with drug traffickers operating in Rajasthan, officials confirmed on Sunday, 25 October 2026. The arrests were made by Senapati district police in connection with three cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, at Senapati Police Station.
The Accused and How They Were Caught
The two arrested individuals have been identified as Roman Rai (21) and Amit Kumar Thapa (35). According to officials, Rai was arrested in Kangpokpi district, while Thapa was apprehended in Bishnupur district with the assistance of local police forces. Both had reportedly been absconding for a considerable period before their arrest.
Notably, a court had earlier issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Amit Kumar Thapa, underscoring the seriousness of the charges he faces. The two are suspected to have served as common suppliers across the three registered cases.
Scope of the Network
With these two arrests, a total of seven persons have now been taken into custody in connection with the three NDPS cases, according to officials. Investigators believe Rai and Thapa acted as critical links between illegal poppy cultivators in Manipur's hill districts and drug traffickers based in Rajasthan. Further investigation is underway to identify and trace remaining members of the network and establish its wider reach.
Manipur's Wider Poppy Cultivation Problem
The arrests come against the backdrop of a large-scale, multi-agency effort to dismantle illegal poppy cultivation across Manipur. Security forces — including the Army, Assam Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and Manipur Police — have over recent years destroyed extensive poppy fields whose yield, had it reached the illegal market, would have been valued at several hundred crores of rupees.
Illegal poppy cultivation has been primarily concentrated across six hill districts: Kangpokpi, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel, Tengnoupal, and Senapati. This geographic spread poses a persistent challenge for law enforcement, as the terrain makes both cultivation and trafficking routes difficult to monitor.
What Investigators Are Looking For Next
Authorities are now focused on tracing remaining suspects in the network and mapping its full interstate reach into Rajasthan. This is part of a broader, ongoing drive by Senapati district police to dismantle drug supply chains that exploit Manipur's remote hill districts as sourcing hubs for trafficking networks operating across state lines. The investigation is expected to expand as law enforcement pursues leads on other alleged members.
Point of View
If fully established by investigators, would represent one of the longest documented interstate narcotics supply chains in India's northeast — and a significant escalation from localised trafficking patterns. What this case highlights is a structural problem: Manipur's difficult hill geography enables large-scale illegal poppy cultivation, yet the downstream trafficking networks reach far beyond the state's borders, making interdiction a multi-state challenge that local police cannot resolve alone. The involvement of the Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF, and NCB alongside Manipur Police suggests coordination is improving — but seven arrests across three cases, with suspects still at large, indicates the network is wider than what has been disrupted so far. The key accountability question is whether the Centre's multi-agency framework will produce prosecutions that hold, or whether arrests will outpace convictions as has historically been the pattern in NDPS cases in the northeast.
NationPress
26 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were arrested in the Manipur drug trafficking case?
The two arrested accused are Roman Rai (21) and Amit Kumar Thapa (35) , both identified as key links in an interstate drug trafficking network. Rai was arrested in Kangpokpi district and Thapa in Bishnupur district by Senapati district police.
What is the Manipur-Rajasthan drug trafficking network?
It is an alleged interstate narcotics supply chain that connects illegal poppy cultivators in Manipur's hill districts with drug traffickers operating in Rajasthan. The network is being investigated under three cases registered at Senapati Police Station under the NDPS Act, 1985.
How many people have been arrested in the case so far?
A total of seven persons have been arrested in connection with the three NDPS cases, including the two most recent arrests of Roman Rai and Amit Kumar Thapa. Further investigation is ongoing to identify and trace other members of the network.
What is the scale of illegal poppy cultivation in Manipur?
Illegal poppy cultivation in Manipur is spread across six hill districts — Kangpokpi, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel, Tengnoupal, and Senapati. Security forces including the Army, Assam Rifles, CRPF, BSF, NCB, and Manipur Police have destroyed poppy fields potentially worth several hundred crores of rupees in the illegal market.
What happens next in the investigation?
Authorities are continuing to investigate to identify and trace remaining members of the trafficking network and establish its wider linkages to Rajasthan. A non-bailable warrant had already been issued against one of the two recently arrested accused, indicating judicial proceedings are already in motion.
