The Burma Army arrested 72 people at a drug rehabilitation facility in northern Shan State’s Muse Township on Sunday, most of those arrested were treatment centre patients, who stand accused of being involved in the drug trade, according to treatment centre staff.

According to Sai Kwan, who worked as a volunteer at the centre in Zerngtai village in Muse Township, the Burma Army’s Division 88 was the unit that made the arrests.  More than 50 soldiers were said to have been involved in the arrests.

“At about 5 a.m. in the morning, the Burma Army came into the centre and arrested 65 people and 7 staff” Sai Kwan said.

Those arrested included Sai Chit Ngwe, head of the rehabilitation centre.  Others arrested included Sai Sarm Bee, the headman of village tract No. 3 and Sai Ai Aung, the headman of Zerngtai village tract.

“They accused the villagers of producing and trading drugs,” Sai Kwan said.

“This center is a rehabilitation center. The people living here were brought to treat their illness”, Sai Kwan explained. “We do not produce any drugs. We only make paper“, he said.  A reference to Ghost Money used in traditional Chinese funerals.

The accused are being held in a prison in Muse Township.  They appeared before court on March 22. Further details of their court appearance are not yet available.

Sai Chit Ngwe, the head of the rehabilitation centre who also serves as the headman of a village known as Village 19, was detained but then eventually released.  He called for all the people picked up during the raid to be released.

“They must release all of them,” he said. “I will not go home unless they release them,” he explained.

The drug rehabilitation centre was established 16 years by Sai Chit Ngwe.  He established the centre with funds from villagers and donors.  The centre does not receive support from the government.

BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)