1.31 tons of crystal meth seized in raid in southern Rakhine

Khaing Lu Hla (Yoma Myay)

Narinjara News, 18 August 2020

Billions of kyats worth of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, was reportedly seized from a seaside creek near Kyeingtali in the southern Rakhine township of Gwa.

Kyaw Lwin Oo, a police commander in Kyeingtali, said, “The value is 31.74 billion kyats. There are a lot of packages. The bags are wrapped up in canvas bags. The total weight is 1,310 kilograms – it’s ice,” he said.

The drugs were seized on August 16 from a suspicious boat in Maungdauk Chaung near Rammar Kyun village, Kyeingtali.

"I was notified on the 16th of this month. The engine had broken and the boat had stopped. The boat is thought to be from Taungup. Five workers onboard the boat have been identified and arrested. Yesterday, they were held on remand and are now being questioned. It is not yet clear who is behind the incident, we are still investigating, ”he said.

Those arrested are being investigated under Section 19 (a) 21 of the Penal Code by the Kyeingtali police station.

U Tin Nyo, a lawyer for the Gwa Township High Court, said, “It is understood that the arrested boatmen are from Taungup. They are transporting for others. There is probably criminal gangs behind them. Local people are waiting to see if the perpetrators will be identified."

He said in the past ice had been found aboard a boat destined for Malaysia in Shwe Hmaw Chaing in Gwa township.

Although Rakhine State is not a drug-producing region, drugs are frequently being seized in large quantities in the state due to exports along sea trade routes from Rakhine State to Bangladesh and Malaysia.