The Arakan Army (AA) has strongly denied allegations made by the military council linking them to a major drug seizure in South Dagon Township, Yangon Region. 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, South Dagon Township, on the evening of March 6. The seized items included over 3 tons of ice (methamphetamine) and 200 kilograms of ketamine.
The military council claimed that the drugs were being prepared for shipment to Malaysia under the management of Ye Win (aka) Kyaw Soe Lin, allegedly AA’s economic officer, and his wife Ma Thida Myint, who owns the Shwe Kaung Tha boat service. The council also reported the arrest of 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 to these allegations, the AA issued a statement characterizing the military council’s claims as politically motivated attacks aimed at damaging their reputation during a time when the military is suffering battlefield losses. The AA categorically denied any connection to the drug seizure, emphasizing that drug trafficking, gambling, and other criminal activities are predominantly found in areas under military council control, such as Naypyidaw, Yangon, and Mandalay, with direct involvement of military council officials themselves.
The AA pointed out that such political attacks are a typical pattern of the military council when they face military setbacks. They stressed that there is absolutely no connection between the AA and drug trafficking activities. The statement further elaborated that criminal enterprises like drug trafficking and gambling operations are actually controlled by the military council’s affiliated militia groups and corrupt officials, citing existing evidence to support these claims. The AA maintained that these allegations are part of the military council’s systematic attempts to discredit their organization while deflecting attention from their own involvement in illegal activities.
