Min Thu Ta — Suspects that were arrested early this month for trafficking yaba in Mudon Township, Mon state, are believed to be connected to several ceasefire armed groups based in Three Pagodas Pass (TPP), according to a police official who requested to remain anonymous.
Police have arrested 4 suspects, Toe Win, Nay Aung; both Myaing Kon residents, Aung Soe Minn; from Taung Kon Township and Khinshwe; a resident of Kyaikmakyaw Township.
While the investigation is ongoing the armed groups that are allegedly involved can’t be named.
During the June 7 bust, Mudon police seized 221 methamphetamine tablets bearing the WY logo at Toe Win’s house on Kyauksein Paya Road, near Kyauk Ta Lon pagoda in Myaing Kon village, Mudon Township. Along with the drugs, police also found a homemade gun, bullets and a walkie-talkie in an army bag.
One yaba tablet with the WY logo has a street value of about 3,000 Kyat in southern Mon State. In TPP, it sells for 120-150 Thai baht. Much of the methamphetamine that is trafficked in Thailand is done from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, but another popular route is from TPP/Kanchanaburi to Bangkok.
“Last May, (drug related) arrests and yaba (busts) that was smuggled from TPP took place 3 times in the Sangkhlaburi area. Investigations showed that members of armed groups based in TPP and also human traffickers were involved in these drug cases,” said one Thai drug watch analyst that is based in the area.
According to a police report that was issued last May, about 320,718 yaba tablets were seized in Burma, with around 105 drug related cases being heard in Burmese courtrooms.
“The drug dealers have guns, for example they are militia and ceasefire armed groups. We can succeed (in stopping this problem) if we use courage to systematically fight against them,” said U Naing U, Mon State Hluttaw representative from Thanbyuzayat Constituency 2, during a speech at the Mon Regional Social Development Seminar in the first week of May.
Since President U Thein Sein’s government took office the drug trade has gotten worse, according to National League for Democracy (NLD) Chairman Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during a closing speech of an executive members meeting at Taw Win Hninsi Hall on May 27. DASSK went as far to say, that in some cases, township administration officials are also implicit.
