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 at 7:30 PM. The seized items included more than 3 tons of ice (methamphetamine) and 200 kilograms of ketamine, which the military council claims 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.
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 reportedly being transported under the direction of Tin Maung Win, who resides in Pangsang, Wa Self-Administered Division, with Than Lwin acting as the courier. The military council also announced the arrest of several individuals allegedly involved in redistributing the drugs in Yangon, including Hein Si Thu and Tin Hla. Additionally, several people connected to the Shwe Kaung Tha boat operation were arrested in Kyauktan Chanayethazan, including Kyaw Kyaw Thein, Min Min Soe, Myo Min Soe, Kyaw Wai Htun, Thein Htun, Yan Shin Aung, and Zaw Zaw Aung.
The AA has issued a strong denial of any involvement in drug-related activities, characterizing the military council’s allegations as a politically motivated attack aimed at damaging their reputation. The AA’s statement emphasizes that such criminal activities, including drug trafficking and gambling, are most prevalent in areas under military council control, such as Naypyidaw, Yangon, and Mandalay. They assert that these illegal activities persist due to corruption and bribery among high-ranking military council officials.
The AA further stated that the military council’s attempt to link them to drug trafficking is a typical political tactic employed when facing military setbacks. They emphasized that such accusations are part of the military’s long-standing pattern of making politically motivated attacks against their opponents. The AA maintains that they have absolutely no connection to drug trafficking activities and views these allegations as a deliberate attempt to undermine their credibility. They point out that the presence of illegal activities in military-controlled areas, along with documented evidence of military officials’ involvement in corruption, serves as proof of where the true responsibility for such criminal enterprises lies.
