The Arakan Army (AA) has strongly denied allegations by the military council linking them to a drug seizure worth over 96 billion kyats in Yangon’s South Dagon Township. According to the military council’s statement, authorities seized over 3 tons of ice (methamphetamine) and 200 kilograms of ketamine from a warehouse on Shin Phyu Shin Road in Ward 144 of South Dagon Township on the evening of March 6. The military council claims 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 reportedly owns the Shwe Kaung Tha ferry service, and were being prepared for shipment to Malaysia.
The military council’s statement detailed that five individuals – Than Lwin, Weya Aung, Thant Kaung Set, Ye Yint Naing, and Hla Than Oo – were arrested along with three vehicles. The drugs were allegedly being transported under the direction of Tin Maung Win from the Wa Self-Administered Region’s Pangsang city, with Than Lwin acting as the courier. The council also claimed to have arrested additional suspects including Hein Si Thu (aka) Zaw Zaw Aung (aka) Aung Ko Ko (aka) Htin Lin Phyu and Tin Hla (aka) Sa Thet, who were allegedly involved in redistributing the drugs from Yangon.
However, in their response statement, the AA categorically denied any connection to the drug seizure, asserting that the military council, which is suffering military defeats, is attempting to politically discredit the AA. The statement emphasized that drug trafficking, gambling, and other criminal activities are most prevalent in military council-controlled territories such as Naypyidaw, Yangon, and Mandalay, attributing these issues to corruption and bribery among high-ranking military council officials. The AA characterized the allegations as a typical political smear tactic employed by the military when facing military setbacks, maintaining their complete disassociation from any drug-related activities.
