Military council spreading false news about AA’s involvement in illegal drugs: Khaing Thukha

In the face of consistent defeats in various battles and also discontent with their inability to counter  Arakan Army (AA) members on the battlefield, the military council start disseminating false news accusing the AA’s  involvement with illegal drugs to defame the armed group, claimed AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha.

"This is akin to the proverb 'a thief crying to stop the thief' which has been applied by the military council as they faced defeats in the battlefield. Upon reading the news, everyone can see that it was  fabricated. We want to make it clear that our organization has absolutely nothing to do with this," added Khaing Thukha.

The Myanmar Alin newspaper, run by the military rulers, published a featured news item on 19 December in the back cover stating that a gang of drug-smugglers, including AA members, were arrested from  Shan State and Yangon region with over two tons of ice (crystal methamphetamine) and 800 kilograms of controlled chemical caffeine (both worth  value over MMK 51.87 billion).

Responding to Narinjara News, Khaing Thukha clarified about it, adding that the junta forces were facing setbacks on the battlefield and now they are disseminating misleading information about the ULA/AA, a member of Three Brotherhood Alliance, with underhanded political ways.

“The terrorist military council is the actual proprietor of drug trades. These drugs are distributed both domestically and internationally and those are originated in the militia-controlled regions overseen by the military council. The military council exercises full control over the drugs, online gamblers and human trafficking rackets in Myanmar," he asserted.

He reminded that during the wars in 2018, 2019, and 2020, as  the military personnel faced substantial losses, they made similar allegations against the AA.

Khaing Thukha stated that the mastermind of all kinds of criminal activities in Myanmar is none other than military chief senior general Min Aung Hlaing and his associates. He also urged the China government and International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants against the military dictators of Myanmar.