439 Myanmar nationals among 460 foreigners held for crimes in Mizoram since 2020

Aizawl, Aug 25: At least 460 foreign nationals, including 439 from Myanmar, have been arrested in Mizoram over the past five years till May 2025, for their alleged involvement in various crimes, police said.

During the same period, narcotic substances worth Rs 770.95 crore— including heroin, methamphetamine, crystal meth, and cannabis — were seized by the state police.

According to police data accessed by PTI, between May 2020 and May 2025 a total of 15,673 individuals were arrested in Mizoram in connection with different criminal cases. Of them, 14,432 were locals, while 781 belonged to other Indian states.

"As many as 460 foreign nationals have also been arrested for different crimes, including drugs and arms trafficking, child sexual abuse, forgery, burglary, theft and violation of visa norms," it said.

Of the 460 foreign nationals, 439 were from Myanmar, 18 from Bangladesh and three from other countries, the data said.

The highest arrest of foreign nationals was made in 2022, a year after a military coup in Myanmar, during which 124 people were apprehended, followed by 106 in 2023 and 89 in 2024, the data said.

In the current year alone, 57 foreign nationals, including 53 from Myanmar, have been arrested in Mizoram, police said.

Of the 15,673 individuals booked for various crimes over the past five years, 1,666 were held for alleged drug smuggling, while 254 were charged under the Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act, according to the data.

Theft remained the biggest offence with 5,495 cases registered and 3,704 people arrested, followed by burglary, which recorded 4,686 cases and 2,917 arrests during the period, it said.

The data suggested that 1,694 people have been arrested under the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, which bans the manufacture, sale and consumption of liquor in the state, it said.

Among the arrested Myanmar nationals, 185 were booked for drug smuggling cases, followed by 66 for visa norm violation, 43 for arms and explosive smuggling, 40 for theft and burglary and nine each were arrested for murder and child sexual abuse, the data said.

Barring four Bangladesh nationals, who were arrested under the Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act, all other foreigners were held under the Foreigners Act, it said.

Mizoram has been grappling with the menace of drug trafficking from Southeast Asian countries, particularly Myanmar, and the police data showed a continuous increase in the seizure of narcotic substances, particularly from 2023.

PTI