Myanmar Junta Flaunts Drug Seizures, No Arrests

Myanmar’s military regime has trumpeted a series of drug raids in northern Shan State, claiming vast seizures of equipment and materials but failing to produce a single suspect.

The week-long operation, centred on Hsipaw and Mongyai townships, has left residents questioning whether the campaign is more about optics than dismantling narcotics networks.

Troops began sweeping the area on 8 January, following an airstrike near the Hsipaw–Mongyai border. Officials later announced the discovery of at least four alleged drug production sites, describing them as major hubs. Acid drums, chemical barrels and glass distillation apparatus were among the items displayed as evidence. Yet, despite the scale of the seizures, no individuals or organisations have been named.

“It is impossible that the junta only discovered operations of this scale now,” one Hsipaw resident told SHAN. “It feels unfinished. At some point, they will need to present a suspect.”

Further seizures were reported on 15 January in Mongyai, with the military insisting that clearance operations were ongoing. Local observers noted that while clashes have not erupted, the proximity of junta forces and the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army has heightened tensions.

Seeking to bolster its narrative, the regime flew foreign diplomats, Chinese and Thai drug control officials, and representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to inspect the sites. At a press conference in Pyin Oo Lwin, spokesperson Major General Zaw Min Tun declared the operation a “major success”, estimating the seized materials at 1.62 trillion kyats—over a third of the country’s total drug seizures in 2025.

The junta also accused several ethnic armed groups of financing their activities through narcotics, alleging that the Arakan Army controls maritime routes, while the Karen National Union, Karen National Liberation Army and People’s Defence Forces manage trafficking corridors into Thailand. The Chin National Front was accused of operating routes towards India.

Despite these sweeping claims and the high-profile presentation to international observers, the absence of arrests has fuelled scepticism. For many in Shan State, the unanswered question remains whether the raids are truly aimed at dismantling drug networks—or whether they serve broader political and military objectives.

-2026-01-20