‘It’s easy to buy guns,’ says a Tachileik local.

Police arrested a 30-year-old man in possession of an illegal firearm in Tachileik, eastern Shan State this week.

According to the Myoma police station, on July 9, Aik Ler—from Mong Khet town—was arrested in Tachileik’s Weing Kyauk ward at around 8:30 p.m. in possession of a .380-millimeter automatic pistol revolver, a magazine with five bullets, and nine-extra bullets all in his car.

Aik Ler is charged with violating the Illegal Weapons Act, articles 12(a) and (c). It was unclear why he had the gun and ammunition, or where he had obtained them.

Locals in Tachileik told SHAN that guns are easily accessible in the town on the Thai-Burma border, which has long been known as a hub within the weapons and narcotics trade.

“It’s easy to buy guns,” Sai Tit, who lives in Tachileik, told SHAN, adding that he hoped the authorities would carry out a “systematic inspection” of the case in question.

Multiple armed groups and militias, as well as the Burma Army, are active in eastern Shan State.