Wa implicated in drug seizure released

Wa implicated in drug seizure released 

A Wa officer who was arrested by Burmese drug busters for involvement in drugs seized by a joint Burmese-Thai operation on 1 April was released two days later, reported sources from the border.

Ta Kad a.k.a. Hui Chinjong, Deputy Commander of the 489th Brigade was taken into custody at 02:00 hrs on 5 April in Nakawngmu, Mongton Township hours after the arrest of Miss Ah Mui, suspected to be his accomplice, in Mongtaw.

[This was reported by S.H.A.N., #04-05: Heat comes to Wa, 7 April 2002. Ta Kad was mistaken for the deputy commander of Brigade 894.]

According to the New Light of Myanmar, the authorities nabbed one of two suspects in Tachilek on 1 April, netting 37.56 kg of heroin.

"The Burmese (authorities) later changed their mind about turning him over to the Thai drug agents who wanted him," said one source, "because he had threatened to spill out everything about Burmese connections."

Drug prices, in the meanwhile, have plummeted since 22 March, when Rangoon warned the Wa they could no longer expect protection.

"The 'two brothers' yaba used to sell at 11 baht per pill before in Mongton," said an informed source who slipped across the border to Chiangdao, 80 km noth of Chiangmai, yesterday. "It's now 8 baht. Transportation, on the contrary, has become more expensive."

Opium prices have also suffered, according to him. "It was 17,000 baht per viss (1.6 kg) before. Now you can buy it at 12,000 baht. If it's opium across the Salween, the price is even lower, 9,500-10,.000."

Meanwhile, inspection teams from the Wa headquarters in Panghsang, near the Chinese border, have yet to show up to "verify" that production, abuse and trafficking of drugs have stopped in the Wa-controlled areas as directed earlier on 26 March.