Imphal, Sep 9 : The security forces in Manipur in separate incidents have arrested three militants, three drug peddlers and busted an illegal local liquor manufacturing factory during the past 24 hours, officials said on Tuesday.

A defence spokesman said the joint forces, including the Army and Assam Rifles, in a series of joint operations, have arrested 11 militants of different outfits and recovered five sophisticated arms, narcotics, and other war-like stores from different districts.

A senior police official said that three militants belonging to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) from Imphal West district were arrested. The militants were involved in extortion activities by serving monetary demands/threats to schools and the general public in the valley region.

One Bullet bike, two mobile phone handsets, four SIM cards, several Aadhaar cards and PAN cards were seized from their possession.

The official said that the police arrested two drug smugglers -- Thanglunpau Sukte (32) and Hauginlian Phaipi (35) from the Police Motor Vehicle Check Gate along Guite in Churchandpur district.

From their possession, 176 soap cases containing brown sugar weighing 1.9 kg and a car were recovered.

Manipur Police also arrested one Aribam Mansish (23) from Imphal East district. From his possession, 1.940 kg of Ganja was recovered.

The official said that the security forces conducted a raid at Keirao Louthok Loukon areas in Imphal East district and busted an illegal local liquor manufacturing factory.

An iron bottling machine, three blue plastic cans labelled containing suspected opioid codeine, 1,461 empty brown bottles, 625 white plastic caps, one packet of white lids, a set of camouflage combat clothing, a red embroidered shawl and 185 plastic bottles filled with suspected opioid codeine were recovered from a makeshift hut which was used for bottling opioid codeine.

A defence spokesman said that during the past week, the Indian Army and Assam Rifles, in close coordination with Manipur Police, executed a series of precise joint operations based on specific information across seven districts -- Churachandpur, Bishnupur, Chandel, Thoubal, Kakching, Imphal West, and Imphal East.

The operations led to the apprehension of 11 cadres of different militant outfits from various hill and valley-based groups and the recovery of five weapons, narcotics, and other war-like stores, he said.

The apprehended militants belong to the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The spokesman said that the Assam Rifles, in joint action with the Narcotics Control Bureau, recovered 138.5 kgs of opium valued at approximately Rs 6.9 crore from a concealed cache near British Camp at Sajik Tampak areas of Chandel District. These coordinated efforts by security forces highlight their unwavering commitment to maintaining peace and security in Manipur.

/IANS