Daijiworld Media Network - Aizwal

Aizwal, Mar 7: A joint team of the Assam Rifles and Mizoram Police arrested a Myanmar national and seized 19 air rifles along with 75,000 pellets during a security operation in Siaha district in southern Mizoram, officials said on Saturday.

The operation was conducted based on specific intelligence inputs. Security forces set up a Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) at the Lungbun Police outpost in the Niawhtlang area to monitor suspicious movement near the border.

During the check, the team intercepted a Tata Yodha vehicle driven by a Myanmar national. A detailed search led to the recovery of 18 NX200 (4.5 mm) air rifles and one PX100 (4.5 mm) air rifle, along with 75,000 pellets packed in 150 boxes of Excite brand. Authorities also seized an air rifle telescope, a nitro piston, a spring used for air rifles, and a Redmi 15C mobile phone.

The driver, identified as Khar Lian (36), a resident of Matupi in Myanmar, was taken into custody. The accused and the seized items have been handed over to the Siaha Police Station for further investigation and legal proceedings.

Mizoram shares a 510-km unfenced international border with Myanmar and a 318-km porous mountainous border with Bangladesh, making the region vulnerable to cross-border smuggling and illegal movement.

Authorities say Myanmar’s Chin State has long been a major source for the smuggling of narcotics, arms, wildlife products, foreign cigarettes, and areca nuts into Mizoram through districts such as Champhai, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Hnahthial, Saitual and Serchhip.