NIA charges 10 in Mizoram arms and explosives seizure case involving Myanmar insurgents

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday chargesheeted 10 accused in a Mizoram arms and explosives seizure case linked to Myanmar-based insurgent groups. 

All 10 accused have been charged with active involvement in the trafficking network of arms, ammunition, and explosives operating on the Indo-Myanmar border. 

They have been chargesheeted under various sections of IPC, Arms Act, and Explosive Substance Act. 

The chargesheet, filed before the NIA Special Court in Aizawl, Mizoram, identified the accused as Lalrintluanga, Laldinpuia, Zoremsanga, Lalbiaktluanga, Lalrinsanga, Zothanmawia, Henry Siangnuna, J Rohlupuia, Laldinsanga, and David Lalramsanga, including some Myanmar-based absconders. 

The case was registered in May 2022 after a large quantity of explosives, firearms, and ammunition was seized from two vehicles on the outskirts of Kelsih Village, under Kulikawn Police Station, Aizawl district. Four occupants of the vehicles were taken into custody. 

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NIA investigations revealed a conspiracy by Myanmar insurgents, along with their associates in their country and in Mizoram, to procure arms to support the armed struggle of militia groups against the existing regime in Myanmar. 

They had conspired with Aizawl-based Myanmar national, Lalrinsanga, to illegally traffick arms, ammunition, and explosives to Myanmar-based groups. 

Lalrinsanga had established a nexus with licensed explosive dealers David Lalramsanga and C Laldinsanga, along with their associates Lalbiatluanga and Zothanmawia, and had procured a large quantity of explosives for transportation to Myanmar. 

Other accused were also directly involved in supplying illegal arms and ammunition to the Myanmar insurgents, according to the NIA probe. 

Arms dealers in Aizawl were part of the conspiracy, where the illegal supplies were handed over to Myanmar nationals regularly visiting Mizoram. 

The batch numbers and QR codes on the seized arms and explosives revealed that the consignment in this case was supplied by a Guwahati-based explosive firm, Albarin Explotech.