• Burmese
Friday, June 13, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
27 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home News Burma

TNLA Says 200m Kyats in Drugs Seized

Lawi Weng by Lawi Weng
June 29, 2015
in Uncategorized
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0 0
A A
TNLA Says 200m Kyats in Drugs Seized

A photo purportedly shows a stash of drugs seized by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) on Saturday. (Photo: Facebook / Pslf-Tnla)

3.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

RANGOON — The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) says it has detained six people and seized drugs with an estimated street value of nearly 200 million kyats (US$167,000) in northern Shan State, marking the ethnic armed group’s second largest drug bust ever.

The seizure included more than 10 viss (16 kilograms) of raw opium and 119,400 methamphetamine tablets, with the alleged drug couriers outed at a TNLA checkpoint on the road linking the towns of Minewee and Mantong over the weekend.

TNLA spokesman Mai Aike Kyaw told The Irrawaddy that the narcotics haul was second only to a seizure in March that amounted to $3.5 million in heroin and methamphetamine pills.

RelatedPosts

Karen Offensive Seizes a Dozen Junta Bases Along Myanmar-Thai Border

Karen Offensive Seizes a Dozen Junta Bases Along Myanmar-Thai Border

May 30, 2025
3.1k
Scamming China; Aid for Vote-Rigging; and More

Scamming China; Aid for Vote-Rigging; and More

January 25, 2025
1.6k
A Town So Close, But Yet So Far

A Town So Close, But Yet So Far

November 5, 2024
1.7k

“Our army set up checkpoints and checked everyone on the road from Mantong and Minewee,” Mai Aike Kyaw said. “Our intention is to crack down on the illegal drug trade. We uncovered two separate cases [on Saturday] in which they drove motorbikes and were trafficking illegal drugs.

“Firstly we found raw opium hidden in a basket, which totaled 10 viss, and seized 80,000 tablets of amphetamines from two motorbikes [ridden] by four people. This was 10:00 [am] local time. In a second case, 39,400 amphetamine tablets were seized from a couple who drove a motorbike,” he said, adding that the TNLA was not acting on a tip and discovered the narcotics during a routine check of vehicles passing through the area, which is largely populated by Palaung, an ethnic minority also known as Ta’ang.

The TNLA spokesman said the drugs came from an area in Shan State controlled by the Pansay militia, an armed group led by Kyaw Myint, a member of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) representing Namkham Township in the Shan State parliament. The Pansay militia allows locals to cultivate opium poppies in the territory it controls and levies a tax on those who do.

The TNLA is investigating the nature of the six detainees’ role in the narcotics trade to determine whether they are traffickers or merely drug mules, according to Mai Aike Kyaw.

During last year’s opium cultivation season, which typically begins in October, the TNLA came to sporadic blows with Pansay soldiers as it undertook a campaign to eradicate cultivation of opium poppies in the townships of Namkham and Mantong along the Sino-Burmese border.

Northern Shan State has also seen fighting in recent years between the Burma Army and the TNLA. The Palaung rebels, unlike most of Burma’s armed ethnic groups, do not have a bilateral ceasefire with the government.

The TNLA says it is carrying out drug eradication operations in the area to stem rampant drug abuse among Palaung communities. The rebels and Palaung NGOs have alleged that pro-government militias in the region are producing drugs and peddling them in minority communities.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: A_FactivaBorderDrug & Crime
Lawi Weng

Lawi Weng

The Irrawaddy

Similar Picks:

Karen Ethnic Army Launches Final Push to Capture Myawaddy on Thai Border
Burma

Karen Ethnic Army Launches Final Push to Capture Myawaddy on Thai Border

by The Irrawaddy
April 9, 2024
10.3k

The KNLA and PDF groups launched an attack on the last junta battalion defending Myawaddy on Tuesday afternoon and were...

Read moreDetails
Beijing Condemns Myanmar Border Clashes That Caused Chinese Casualties
Myanmar-China Watch

Beijing Condemns Myanmar Border Clashes That Caused Chinese Casualties

by AFP
January 4, 2024
4.4k

China said it will ‘take all necessary measures’ to protect its citizens after an artillery shell from Myanmar reportedly struck...

Read moreDetails
Karen Offensive Seizes a Dozen Junta Bases Along Myanmar-Thai Border
Burma

Karen Offensive Seizes a Dozen Junta Bases Along Myanmar-Thai Border

by The Irrawaddy
May 30, 2025
3.1k

The powerful KNU and allies are advancing with coordinated attacks aimed at clearing regime troops from three states and one...

Read moreDetails
Four Reasons Why Junta Will Be Sole Beneficiary of Thai-Myanmar Taskforce
Guest Column

Four Reasons Why Junta Will Be Sole Beneficiary of Thai-Myanmar Taskforce

by Surachanee Sriyai
December 29, 2023
3k

Thailand is stepping into a minefield with moves for joint humanitarian assistance in case of a refugee crisis on its...

Read moreDetails
KNU ‘Ready to Work With China, Bangkok’ to Rid Thai Border of Crime
Burma

KNU ‘Ready to Work With China, Bangkok’ to Rid Thai Border of Crime

by The Irrawaddy
January 2, 2024
2.6k

The ethnic armed group’s New Year’s vow comes amid concerns that Chinese crime syndicates being pushed out of Shan State...

Read moreDetails
Tapping China for Green Power Lifeline; Touting Tourism Fantasy to Russians; and More
Junta Watch

Tapping China for Green Power Lifeline; Touting Tourism Fantasy to Russians; and More

by The Irrawaddy
November 2, 2024
2.2k

Also this week, a shadowy visit to Beijing, and backing for border blitz from China.

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Voter Lists on Agenda as NLD

Voter Lists on Agenda as NLD, Election Body Set to Meet Again

Mon Advocacy Group Urges Cross-Party Collaboration

Mon Advocacy Group Urges Cross-Party Collaboration

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

The Hidden Fallout From China’s Cross-Border Crime Crackdown in Myanmar

The Hidden Fallout From China’s Cross-Border Crime Crackdown in Myanmar

4 days ago
1.4k
How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

2 days ago
919

Most Read

  • Civilians in Need as Arakan Army Advances on Kyaukphyu

    Civilians in Need as Arakan Army Advances on Kyaukphyu

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Junta Advances into Karenni State

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Myanmar Jade Hub Burns as Junta Counteroffensive Penetrates Hpakant

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • China Defends Myanmar Junta on Human Rights at UN

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • High-Level Ministerial Meeting Held to Speed Up Preparations for Myanmar Junta’s Election

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.