Arms and ammunition, including seven carbines of type used by US military, seized in Mizoram

Mizoram Police and 39th Assam Rifles troops have seized eight military-style guns and 500 rounds of ammunition from a man who said he got the consignment in Myanmar for delivery to ethnic Chakma militants in Bangladesh. Mizoram is wedged between the two countries.

The seized rifles include seven Colt M4A1 carbines – a firearms model used extensively by the US military – and one AK 56 MK II rifle. The M4A1 carbines all had empty magazines, but the AK 56 rifle lacked one, but 500 rounds of 5.56 mm bullets were also seized.

Thangdeihpianga, the 38-year-old resident of the eastern Mizoram town of Champhai, was transporting the guns and ammo inside a gunny bag which he kept on the front foot-board of his scooter, according to a police officer attached to the Champhai District police.

The arms smuggler told interrogators he procured the consignment from Myanmar’s border with Mizoram and was taking the Zotelui route westward when he was apprehended near Mualbuhvum on Thursday evening.

He has not revealed which particular ethnic Chakma militant group he was delivering the arms to, the officer said, adding the arrested man seems to be a carrier and unfamiliar with details of the smuggling operations.

Thangdeihpianga currently has an arms smuggling case pending against him after he and two others were caught last July in Saitual, about 76 kms east of state capital Aizawl, with a larger consignment of arms and ammo.

Source:: Indian Express