Army runs protection racket in poppy land

Drugs

Reporter: Hawkeye
Army runs protection racket in poppy land

Harvest season has arrived and farmers in southern Shan State are paying security to the Burma Army units, according sources coming to the border:

On 23 January, the Namzang-based Infantry Battalion 66 commander, name unavailable, visited Kawng-hawm, where villagers were predicting a bumper crop of 1,500 viss (2.4 tons) due to favorable weather. He was paid 800,000 kyat ($ 800), 3 - 48 kg pigs and 1 full-grown bull.

Two days a later, he was at another village south of Kawng-hawm, and reportedly asked the village headman how he could help prevent annual destructions of their poppy fields. As a result, he received 500,000 kyat ($ 500) and 1 - 64 kg pig from the farmers. "Since then, no army patrols have been seen," assured the source who is on a visit in Mongton township, opposite Chiangmai province.

Similar reports also came from neighboring townships of Laikha, Mongkerng and Kehsi.

Due to the abundant yields, unlike last year when drought had killed most of the fields in the lowlands, the price is going down to 220,000 kyat ($ 220) per viss (1.6 kg) in several places. In Mongton, where in December, buyers were offering 20,000 baht ($ 500) per viss, the price has almost halved.

Most of the refineries in Mongton are producing #3 heroin (in the form of granules) as it is easier to transport to the Indian and Chinese border in the north, where they are processed into #4 heroin in fine white powder form before crossing the borders, according to the local sources.

More Details:

On 12 November 2004, Angdaw-based IB 292 collected 200,000 kyat tax in Looktawng tract, Mongkerng, and another 700,000 kyat in Nawnghoy tract, Mongkerng township.