Shwe Phee Myay, June 27, Lashio
The junta’s Anti-Narcotics Task Force arrested two drug dealers in Lashio, northern Shan State—a town currently back under the regime control—only to release them after taking a bribe of millions of kyats, according to the local sources familiar with the incidents.
The incident reportedly took place during the second week of June. Acting on a tip-off, the anti-narcotics squad raided a house located west of High School No. 6 in Ward 5, as well as another residence in Ward 7 of Lashio. During the search, packages of marijuana were discovered, leading to the arrest of two men from the premises.
A Lashio local familiar with the situation stated, “They raided the place after getting a tip. When they found packages of marijuana, they made the arrests. When they moved on to search the second house, they found marijuana plants and processed marijuana packages inside a wardrobe, leading to further detentions. They then negotiated with the families and released them after a transaction—one party paid over 70 million kyats, and the other paid over 4 million kyats.”
The source added that some members of the Lashio anti-narcotics squad have been routinely releasing detained drug dealers and users in exchange for money, rather than filing criminal charges or placing them in official custody.
“They didn’t even put them in the station lockup; they just demanded money and turned it into a money-making scheme. For those two individuals, both the anti-narcotics squad and ward administrators showed up. After negotiating, they settled the deal with a payoff amounting to tens of millions of kyats. I’m just highlighting how certain members of the anti-narcotics squad are extorting money like this,” the source explained.
Locals told Shwe Phee Myay that in military-controlled Lashio, drug use and trafficking are not only on the rise, but muggings, robberies, and kidnappings for ransom are also occurring on a near-continuous basis.
Due to China’s mediation, areas across Lashio that had been controlled by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) were handed back over to the military junta on April 21, 2025.
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Translated by #KLT
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