No. 12 - 10/2005
15 October 2005

Drugs

Police on milking mission shot by suspect

One police officer was killed and two others wounded yesterday during an attempt to extort payment from a drug suspect who has been on the loose since, according to sources from the Sino-Burma border:

Police officer Min Sein and two others were shot as they tried to stop Hsang Hsarm, 46, of Kunhai village, Namkham township, from escaping into Chinese territory. Min Sein was later taken to the Namkham hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. The others received only slight wounds.

The three were part of the six men team that raided Hsang Hsarm's new house which was still under construction at 10:00 in the Shan village that straddles the border. The suspect who was also known to be an addict to Khakhu (a mixture of opium with minced hpaknawk, a kind of creeper) reportedly snatched his gun and tried to escape across the border but coming face to face with Min Sein who was cutting off his escape route, shot into him. He also fired at two other policemen who tried to intercept him.

"Burmese military and militia units that arrived in the afternoon had summoned Hsang Hsarm's parents and mother-in-law to be held as hostages until Hsang Hsarm yields himself up," said a local source.

The village elders have for some time been at odds with the authorities since their self-initiated drug rehabilitation homes were ordered to be closed a few years back.
"They told us the answer to the youth addiction problem was to help the authorities in finding out who are selling drugs," said an elderly source. "But every drug pusher we had informed the police was arrested only to be released a few days later. And each one of them continues selling drugs to our kids to this day."

Sources agreed that the police authorities were taking bribes from the drug peddlers.

Frustrated, the villagers joined the 5-day anti-drug campaign launched by their neighbors across the border (1-5 September) during which 71 suppliers were apprehended by Chinese authorities. One result of the drive was the arrest of Kunhai village headman, Sai Ngwe(Sai Noi aka Mawk Ngern Hsy Noi), 40, by Burmese authorities for acting without official permission. He was released only a few days before yesterday's incident.

At least one local source has blamed Hsang Hsarm for getting the matter out of hand. "Everyone knew about Min Sein," he said. "He was there to shake Hsang Hsarm down. Arresting him was the last thing from his mind. Had he (Hsang Hsarm) just kept his cool and paid, the matter would have rest there."

Local military, police and administrative authorities have for a long time reported by both local and Chinese sources as being "part of the problem."

Mizzima News reported on 19 September that the local police had allowed one of the militia commanders to construct a new casino on the border after taking 30,000 yuan ($3,500) on 10 September. A week later, the building was raided and bulldozed by the Chinese officials.

Sai Noi was reportedly toting a WW2 schmeisser sub-machine gun.
Updated: 17 October 2005