The anti-drug and human trafficking task forces under the military junta near the toll gate at the exit of Loilen town in southern Shan State has been arbitrarily detaining and threatening drivers, according to sources.
According to those who experienced it firsthand, on 8 March around 8pm, the anti-drug and human trafficking task force stopped and searched drivers of passenger vehicles operating on the Taunggyi- Nansang route near the toll gate at the exit of Loilen town without any justification and threatened them.
“The anti-drug team told me to out of the vehicle without an explanation and confiscated my ID card. Then they took me to their supervisor. There was nothing illegal in my vehicle, and it’s a licensed car. Without asking anything, they pointed a gun at me. They said, ‘What do you think? Any organization passing through here must be checked by us before proceeding. The regional commander has given us verbal orders,'” said one of the drivers who encountered this incident.
Local residents report that at the checkpoint established near the toll gate at the exit of Loilen town, Inspector Tin Tun Aung of the anti-drug task force and Police Captain Tin Maung Myint of the anti-human trafficking police force are leading operations, checking various passenger vehicles traveling along the Union Highway under different pretexts and extorting money through threats.
“They drive unlicensed cars and check others while being drunk themselves. They ask for people’s names and search the vehicles. They keep asking questions one after another while making threats. They started checking at 8pm and only let us go after 11pm. They pushed and shoved people without explaining anything. They threatened to sue us for obstruction of duty,” a Taunggyi-Namsang passenger vehicle driver added.
Due to these junta checkpoints conducting various searches of passenger vehicles, women travelers need to be cautious about security concerns, drivers say.
According to local residents, since November 2024, the junta’s checkpoint in Loilen town has been arresting drug users and forcing them to guard entry and exit checkpoints of the town.
Sent by Shan News.