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 Zi Zawa Street in Ward 8 of Pazundaung Township. Following the arrest, Township Police Chief Police Major Min Han, Station Chief Police Captain Zaw Zaw, Local Security Police Lieutenant Nyi Min Naing, Ward 7 Administrator Bo Kyaw Min, and militia 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 militia member Jo Jo and Ward 7 Administrator Bo Kyaw Min collaborating with police officers to forcefully demand the money. After arresting U Maung Myint on accusations of selling lottery tickets, they demanded the payment, which was subsequently divided among themselves. Local sources confirmed 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, physically assaulted them, and seized their gold. When the victim sought help at a nearby police station, the authorities ignored their complaint. The victim’s friend reported that the military personnel forced the victim into an alley, conducted a search under false drug allegations, threatened them with weapons, beat them at will, and stole the gold they were carrying.
