NIA chargesheets five in Mizoram arms smuggling case linked to Bangladesh

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against five individuals in connection with a case involving the seizure of a large cache of prohibited arms and ammunition in Mizoram. 

The weapons were allegedly meant for supply to the United Peoples Democratic Front (UPDF), a militant group based in the Chittagong region of Bangladesh.

The accused have been identified as Lalbiakchunga alias Divid alias David, Lalthawmcheuva alias Thawma, Malsawma alias Malsawma Loncheu, Rualliansanga alias Sanga, and Alok Bikash Chakma. The chargesheet was filed before a special court in Aizawl.

According to the NIA, the individuals have been charged under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, the Arms Act, 1959, and the Foreigners Act, 1946.

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The case was initially registered by the Mizoram Police on January 15, 2025. The NIA assumed control of the case two months later and uncovered a wider criminal conspiracy involving the supply of arms and ammunition to the UPDF.

The cache was recovered from Saithah village in Mizoram’s Mamit district. Seized items included six AK-47 rifles, 13 magazines, and 10,050 rounds of ammunition.

The NIA said the investigation revealed that the arms were intended to bolster the capabilities of the UPDF’s armed cadres in Bangladesh. Further investigations are currently underway to trace additional links in the cross-border smuggling network.