A major drug seizure in Yangon’s South Dagon Township, valued at over 96 billion kyats, has sparked a heated exchange between the military council and the Arakan Army (AA). The military council claimed the drugs were connected to AA operations, which the ethnic armed group strongly denied. On March 6, authorities seized over 3 tons of ice (methamphetamine) and 200 kilograms of ketamine from a warehouse on Shin Phyu Shin Road in South Dagon Township’s 144th ward.
According to the military council’s statement, the seized drugs were allegedly managed by Ye Win (aka) Kyaw Soe Lin, identified as AA’s economic officer, and his wife Ma Thida Myint, who were reportedly planning to export the drugs to Malaysia. The military council reported arresting five individuals – Than Lwin, Weya Aung (aka) Thar Gyi, Thant Kaung Set (aka) Paung Chain, Ye Yint Naing, and Hla Than Oo (aka) Ya Kwat – along with three vehicles. The drugs were reportedly transported under the direction of Tin Maung Win from Pangsang city in the Wa Self-Administered Region, with Than Lwin acting as the courier. Additional arrests were made of individuals allegedly involved in redistributing the drugs in Yangon.
The AA strongly rejected the military council’s allegations, characterizing them as politically motivated attacks aimed at damaging their reputation at a time when the military is suffering battlefield losses. The AA emphatically denied any connection to the drug seizure, pointing out that drug trafficking, gambling, and criminal activities are primarily found in military council-controlled territories such as Naypyidaw, Yangon, and Mandalay. The AA argued that such activities persist due to corruption and bribery among high-ranking military officers.
The AA stated that the military council’s practice of launching political smear campaigns during times of military setbacks is a familiar pattern of behavior. They characterized the attempt to link AA to drug trafficking as a malicious political attack and categorically denied any involvement in the drug trade. The AA emphasized that this incident represents another example of the military council’s attempts to undermine their credibility through false accusations, maintaining their complete disassociation from any drug-related activities.
