Assam Rifles bust major extortion ring in Manipur border operation, one arrested

Security forces have dealt a significant blow to organised crime networks plaguing Manipur's volatile border regions, with the arrest of a key suspect allegedly involved in extortion and arms trafficking operations.

The breakthrough came during a joint operation by Assam Rifles, local police, and paramilitary units on August 26 in Haolenphai, near the strategically important border town of Moreh in Tengnoupal district. The suspect is believed to have links to the Village Volunteers Eastern Zone (VVEZ), a group that has been under scrutiny for criminal activities.

Acting on intelligence inputs, security teams launched a coordinated cordon and search operation in the early morning hours. The house-to-house searches demonstrated what officials described as "precision and tactical acumen" while maintaining operational restraint in the sensitive border area.

The arrest yielded a crucial piece of evidence - a mobile phone suspected to contain digital proof of the extortion network's operations and weapon smuggling activities. This device could prove instrumental in unravelling the broader criminal syndicate operating across the porous Indo-Myanmar border.

The operation represents a significant victory for security forces who have been working to dismantle criminal networks that have exploited the region's strategic location and ongoing ethnic tensions. These groups have reportedly been extorting money from local businesses and residents while facilitating illegal arms trade across international borders.

The arrested individual was handed over to the Pallel Police Station in Kakching district on August 27 for detailed interrogation and prosecution under relevant laws.