A drug refinery raided and seized by government authorities on 20 November was actually owned and operated by a Burma Army run People’s Militia Force (PMF) of Mong Zi, according to local sources.

Mong Zi PMF is led by U Aung Khaing and his deputy Ah Liang aka Ah Ying aka Ya Pafa. Most of its members are Palaung (Ta-ang), Wa and Kokang who are not locally recruited. They receive K 30,000 ($ 30) per month each.

Official media says 11 men were taken alive together with 22 assorted weapons and drugs worth K 277.1 million ($ 277,100). Another co-owner was said to be an ethnic Chinese identified as Wu Sang.

“The existence of factory was likely tipped off by Chinese authorities,” said one informed source.

Ah Liang, interrogated by the police, had reportedly testified that the drugs belonged to U Ohn Khaing and that he (Ah Liang) and Wu Sang had invested K 5 million ($ 5,000) each in the joint venture.

The PMFs’ involvement in drugs have been reported at length by SHAN in its Shan Drug Watch 2011 report. The Burma Army, meanwhile, has demanded that the Shan State Army (SSA) leaves the PMFs along, after its fighters staged raids against the PMF refineries.