On 21 March, the police received information from the public indicating that fugitive Thant Zin Oo, responsible for the support activities of the Arakan Army (AA) in Sittway, was transporting narcotic drugs from Yangon to Sittway and Buthidaung, in collaboration with fugitive May Yu Tun from Buthidaung.
Upon this tip-off, the police conducted a raid on house No 301 in Myitta Nyunt Ward, Tamway Township, where they apprehended suspects Tun Thein Aung and his wife, Su Myat Wai.
Following the arrest, investigations led the police to inspect an MV Sein Pyae Min cargo vessel at Bayintnaung Port in Mayangon Township. During the inspection, authorities discovered one million pink WY pills packaged in boxes aboard the ship, valued at K1 billion.
Further investigations revealed that Su Myat Wai had been offered K20 million by her cousin’s husband, Thant Zin Oo, on 14 March to transport the drugs from Yangon to Sittway. Su Myat Wai accepted the deal after consulting with her husband. On 20 March, fugitive Kyaw Paing Thu, the son of Thant Zin Oo, provided her with psychotropic pills concealed in boxes disguised as Godzilla-brand soap bars. Su Myat Wai then arranged for the boxes to be transported to Sittway via the MV Sein Pyae Min cargo vessel. AA is suspected of involvement in nine drug seizures amounting to K294.82 billion since 2016. Currently, the police are actively seeking fugitives Thant Zin Oo and Kyaw Paing Thu, along with their accomplices. Informants providing information on drug trafficking and assisting in their arrest will be rewarded confidentially. It has been observed that insurgent groups and drug syndicates are utilizing waterways for the transport of drugs. — MNA/NT
