Myanmar militia officer held over arms and drugs

The Irrawaddy

A senior officer from a pro‑regime Karen militia has been arrested in Myanmar’s Kayin State over alleged involvement in arms trafficking, narcotics trading and possession of counterfeit Thai currency.

Captain Min Htet Paing, known locally as Paing Paing, was detained in Hpa‑an after regime troops raided his home in Myawaddy. According to residents, soldiers discovered large amounts of fake baht, printing equipment and weapons. He initially escaped but was later captured by Border Guard Force Battalion 4 and handed back to the military.

His arrest follows the detention earlier in June of another militia officer, Captain Saw Arkar, accused of using counterfeit Thai currency near the Myawaddy–Mae Sot Friendship Bridge. Authorities say four more alleged accomplices are under investigation, including local ward administrator Sai Myo Nyunt Oo.

The Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council (KNU/KNLA‑PC), a splinter group that refused to join the post‑coup resistance, has maintained a truce with the junta and continued peace talks. Its spokesperson, Colonel Kyaw Nyunt, confirmed Min Htet Paing’s arrest but said the group had not received official notification from the military.

Residents claim the Border Guard Force, aligned with the regime, is reasserting control over lucrative criminal networks in Myawaddy, including arms and drug smuggling. The same faction has also been linked to cyber‑scam operations that came under international scrutiny earlier this year.

Sai Myo Nyunt Oo, meanwhile, denies any wrongdoing, insisting he is only an acquaintance of Min Htet Paing. He is a local leader of the ultranationalist Ma Ba Tha movement and has gained influence since the 2021 coup. Locals accuse him of exploiting his position and say he is pressuring residents to back his re‑election as ward administrator.

The arrests highlight the murky overlap between armed groups, regime‑aligned militias and criminal enterprises in Myanmar’s border regions, where weapons, drugs and counterfeit currency fuel instability and corruption.

-2026-06-30