Defector

Defector: Drug labs in Wa laps

Drugs

A Shan commander from the United Wa State Army, who had broken out of jail where he was being detained for default on drug payments, recently told S.H.A.N. on arrival in Thailand that the Wa army had drug refineries under the very eyes yet out of sight of inquisitive outsiders. 

Hsarmkiang, Wa defector, with his wife, Nang Oh

Maj Hsarmkiang, 40, of Central Security Regiment, who had served with the Wa since he was 11, said there were two methamphetamine factories just outside Panghsang, the Wa capital, opposite China's Meng A (Mong-nga in Shan). "I was allowed to visit one of them twice," he said, "the first time in October 2001 and the second time on 13 June 2002."  Escorted by Ta Hpu a.k.a Zhao Huangming, head of HQ Security, Hsarmkiang rode 2 miles west of Panghsang to Nalawd, where Li Ziru, the Wa's No. 2 man, lives. On the left side of the road and opposite Nalawd was Loi Kawng zerk, the hill overlooking the village on which a security unit was stationed. Around the hill was a high concrete wall. Inside the wall, the hill had been dug out to make a cavern where 4 "machines", two of which, he was told, were able to turn out 72 pills per minute each. Together, the factory had the capacity to manufacture 7 million pills per day. The product, some green and some orange with WY logo, was then deposited in 200 pill-bags each with 1-2 absorbents.  Another factory was located at Loi Parnghperng, a hill 4 miles further, where the Hwe Nam-ngern reservoir that fed Panghsang was constructed. "It also had a cave factory operated by Wei Hsuehkang's people," he said. "But I never had a chance to visit there, being from a separate command."

Two other speed factories were located in Monghpen, before the ouster of their patron Bao Youhua, President Bao Youxiang's younger brother, in early January, he maintained. 

As for heroin refineries, he knew the one in Wiangkao, northeast of Pangyang. 

"Each year after opium tax had been collected (in kind), I had to ship the pile off to Wiangkao," he said. 

Each household is required to pay 0.16 kg of opium as tax to the Wa government. "For those without men to support the family, the tax was reduced to 5 kyat (0.08 kg) each," he added. "No one is exempted. If you don't grow poppies, you have to buy it and pay it as tax." 

Hauling it to the Thai border

One of Hsarmkiang's main responsibilities was to oversee that drugs shipped to the Thai border arrive there safe and sound. 

"Usually, I didn't have to go up to Panghsang to pick up the goods," he recalled. "Mostly they just drove them to my place in Mongnoong. But sometimes I had to collect them either in Mongpawk or Mongka." 

The only time he had to pick up his "goods" in Panghsang was on 8 January 2003, when he was summoned to Secretary Ai Ngao, 54, to load up 90 kg of heroin. "We drove from Panghsang to Mongka, and then, carried it downsouth to Tachilek on foot." 

It took 11-days trudging down to the border town opposite Thailand's Maesai, assisted on the way by local militia forces. "The goods were delivered to the militia force in Hwekad, 5 miles outside Tachilek," he said. "We then reported the completion of our assignment to our superiors waiting in the city and returned to Mongnoong by car." 

The Wa also transport their drug consignments by car too, he explained, "mostly to Tachilek, 3 days, and Monghsat further west, 2 days." 

The passage by motor vehicles was facilated by the Burmese military and police, according to him: 

• - Col Kyaw Myint, Area Commander, who commanded 3 battalions in Mongkhark, until his death in November 2003: Infantry Battalion 227, Light Infantry Battalions 327 and 328 

• - Lt Col Khaing Soe, IB 227 

• - Lt Col Myint Aung, LIB 327 

• - Police Officer Than Sway, Mongngen 

• - Police Officer Myint Soe, Mongkhark 

Hsarmkiang and his men received 200-400 old coins (1 old coin = 103 baht) per trip. 

Thailand's massive crackdown on drugs last year spelled the downfall of him and many others. "We were unable to pay our debts, and three others I knew paid with their lives" he stated. "So I came and here I am." 

His whereabout is still something he wants confidential. "I need time to start my life all over again," he says. 

Show Business: Rangoon's War on Drugs in Shan State, a report released by S.H.A.N., 10 December 2003, says there are at least 4 heroin and 8 speed refineries in the Wa region.