Guwahati: Security forces in Manipur have intensified their investigation into a transnational arms trafficking network after arresting a senior leader of the Valley-based insurgent group Pambei-led United National Liberation Front (UNLF-P).
The crackdown revealed a broader operation allegedly smuggling weapons from Myanmar into India through forged documents and registered gun houses.
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The case surfaced in late June when Manipur Police apprehended four individuals, including Sinam Somendro Meitei, also known as ‘Richard’, a self-proclaimed Lieutenant Colonel and Project Secretary of the proscribed UNLF-P.
Police officials believe Richard’s arrest exposes contradictions in the group’s commitment to the peace process.
Although UNLF-P signed a ceasefire agreement with the Manipur government in November 2023, authorities say the outfit has neither surrendered its weapons nor submitted a list of active members.
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Officials also allege that some cadres continue to extort money and engage in criminal activities under the guise of the truce.
The investigation began on June 24 after intelligence inputs indicated the existence of an illegal arms supply chain operating out of Imphal.
Acting on the tip-off, police detained Lanchenba Nongthombam, who owns Nongthombam Gun House, for allegedly selling firearms without maintaining legal documentation. His confession led investigators directly to Richard.
Officials claim UNLF-P members smuggled foreign-made arms across the porous Indo-Myanmar border and distributed them to various parts of India. Investigators have already traced one case to Punjab, with inquiries ongoing in other states.
These activities constitute serious violations under the Arms Act, particularly Section 10, which prohibits importing foreign firearms without special permission, usually granted only to sportspersons.
A search at Richard’s residence led police to seize a cache of illegal items, including four U.S.-made pistols, an Austrian revolver, an Indian-made pistol, dozens of foreign-calibre bullets, a wireless communication set, and high-end mobile phones.
Authorities describe Richard as a repeat offender with a criminal record spanning nearly 30 years. Police first arrested him in 1995 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), followed by two more arrests in 2005 and 2006 for similar offenses.
In 2003, he allegedly coordinated cross-border insurgent movements between Guwahati and Bangladesh and oversaw illicit financial operations involving foreign currencies.
Following his latest arrest, Richard reportedly tried to invoke the group’s ceasefire pact in an attempt to avoid prosecution.
However, officials rejected the claim, citing the seriousness of the arms smuggling allegations and their national security implications.
The UNLF-P, under the leadership of Kh Pambei, made headlines in 2023 as the first Meitei insurgent group in the Imphal Valley to agree to a ceasefire.
But from the outset, security experts expressed concerns, suspecting the truce was a strategic move to deflect mounting law enforcement pressure.
The group’s request to establish designated camps near Kuki-majority areas triggered further tensions, with security agencies opposing the idea over fears of escalating ethnic conflict, already responsible for over 200 deaths in the region.
Despite the ceasefire’s stated aim of reducing violence, recent incidents in 2024 suggest continued militant activity.
Officials allege that UNLF-P operatives have even seized weapons from security forces during this period, further casting doubt on the sincerity of their peace initiative.