The Palaung State Liberation Front/Ta’ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA) busted a huge drug run worth almost K4 billion that was reportedly headed to China on October 18. The ethnic armed group arrested three men after a gunfight broke out, according to members of the ethnic armed group.
Major Mai Aik Kyaw, the TNLA’s information officer, said that soldiers from the ethnic armed group staged a stakeout after a tip-off about a smuggling route from northern Shan State to Ruili along the Muse-Namhkam Road in the Pang Hsay People’s Militia area.
“When our anti-narcotic team waited there to arrest them, it stopped a Pajero [vehicle] on the road. People from the vehicle started shooting at the team so we shot back. Two people were injured,” said Maj Mai Aik Kyaw.
“Drugs were found when we inspected the vehicle. There were about 2.5 kilos of heroin, over 1.8 million Yaba tablets and ten viss of raw opium. We also seized the weapons they were carrying,” he added.
According to the TNLA, the drugs are worth around Ks 3.7 billion.
Maj Mai Aik Kyaw claimed that the arrested men are members of Pang Hsay People’s Militia, who were transporting the drugs according to the orders of a superior officer.
“They can’t speak Burmese very well. When we interrogated them, they told us that they are members of Pang Hsay People’s Militia and they are not drug traffickers,” said Maj Mai Aik Kyaw.
The detained men have been identified as U Aik Sai, U Taw Sha Phoo and U Jar La Wu from Tar Kun Village in Namhkam township.
The TNLA said is has seized the drugs, and will take legal action against the militia members.
The seized drugs have been kept by the PSLF/TNLA’s anti-narcotic team and Maj Mai Aik Kyaw said action will be taken against the arrested men in line with the PSLF/TNLA’s anti-drug law.
