The Arakan Army (AA) has strongly refuted allegations made by the military council linking them to a major drug seizure in Yangon’s South Dagon Township. According to the military council’s statement, drugs worth over 96 billion kyats were seized from a warehouse on Shin Phyu Shin Road in Ward 144 of South Dagon Township on March 6 evening. The seized items included over 3 tons of ice (methamphetamine) and 200 kilograms of ketamine.
The military council claimed that the drugs were being managed by an alleged AA economic officer named Ye Win (aka) Kyaw Soe Lin and his wife Ma Thida Myint, who owns the Shwe Kaung Tha boat service. They were allegedly preparing to transport the drugs to Malaysia. The council also reported arresting five individuals – Than Lwin, Weyar Aung, Than Kaung Set, Ye Yint Naing, and Hla Than Oo – along with three vehicles. The military council further alleged connections to individuals based in the Wa Self-Administered Region and detailed a network of drug trafficking operations.
In response, the AA issued a strong statement denouncing the military council’s allegations as a politically motivated attack aimed at damaging AA’s reputation at a time when the military is suffering battlefield losses. The AA categorically denied any connection to the drug seizure, stating there is absolutely no link between their organization and the narcotics trade. They pointed out that drug trafficking, gambling, and other criminal activities are primarily found in military council-controlled areas like Naypyidaw, Yangon, and Mandalay, with military council officials themselves being involved in these illegal operations.
The AA statement emphasized that it is a common tactic of the military council to launch political attacks against opposition forces when facing military setbacks. They characterized the attempt to link AA to drug trafficking as merely another attempt to politically discredit their organization. The AA maintained their firm stance that they have no involvement whatsoever in drug-related activities and condemned the military council’s allegations as baseless propaganda designed to undermine their reputation and legitimacy.
