In Pazundaung Township, Yangon, police and administrators arrested a civilian on allegations of lottery selling and demanded 32 million kyats (approximately USD 15,000). The incident occurred on February 4th when police and administrators arrested U Maung Myint, a resident of Zizawa Street in Ward 8 of Pazundaung Township. Following the arrest, Pazundaung Township Police Commander Police Major Min Han, Station Commander Police Captain Zaw Zaw, Local Security Police Lieutenant Nyi Min Naing, Ward 7 Administrator Bo Kyaw Min, and Pyusawthi member Jo Jo demanded the money from the civilian.
According to local residents, this extortion was carried out without the knowledge of Ward 8 Administrator Myo Myint, with Pyusawthi member Jo Jo and Ward 7 Administrator Bo Kyaw Min collaborating with the police to forcefully collect the money. After arresting U Maung Myint on accusations of selling lottery tickets and demanding the payment, the collected funds were reportedly distributed among themselves. Local residents reported that the victim was forced to pay the demanded amount under duress.
In a similar incident in Myitkyina, Kachin State, military personnel extorted two ticals of gold (approximately 1.2 ounces) from a civilian after falsely accusing them of drug use. On March 19th, military personnel and police who were checking pedestrians near Myanmar Economic Bank street in Myitkyina stopped a motorcycle rider, accused them of drug use, conducted a search, physically assaulted them, and seized their gold. According to a friend of the victim, the military personnel threatened the civilian with weapons and beat them at will after taking them to a side street, despite their protests of innocence.
When the victim sought help from a nearby police station regarding this incident, the police ignored their plea and took no action. These incidents highlight the ongoing pattern of violence, extortion, and robbery against civilians under military rule. Citizens are left without recourse for legal protection, while administrative authorities themselves are participating in the oppression and exploitation of the public. These cases demonstrate how law enforcement and local administration officials, who should be protecting citizens, are instead using their positions to commit crimes against the very people they are supposed to serve.
