Soap cases filled with 171.6 kilogrammes of heroin (estimated value K4.29 billion) that were being transported to Mandalay were seized on August 7.

A combined team including security personnel inspected two vehicles carrying plastic woven bags near Kin Village, Indaing Village-tract, Yamethin Township, Mandalay Region, acting on information received.

Upon inspection, they discovered soap cases filled with 171.6 kilogrammes of heroin (estimated value K4.29 billion) that were being transported to Mandalay.

The incident occurred when security personnel stopped and searched two vehicles near Kin Village — a Mazda Bongo (registration number BGO-11 9P-xxxx) driven by Tin Moe and an I-Zone vehicle (registration number SGG-20 8K-xxxx) driven by Yazar Htun. The vehicles were loaded with plastic woven bags containing soap cases filled with heroin. Security personnel seized the 171.6 kilogrammes of heroin (estimated value K4.29 billion) and arrested the persons responsible for trafficking it — Kyaw Lwin Oo from TadaU Township — together with 22 others, including Pho Paing from Kalaw Township, who helped load the drugs onto the vehicles. Investigations revealed that the heroin seized had been ordered to be transported from Kalaw Township to Yamethin Township by a person named Chit Thu (still at large). Acting on his instructions, Pho Paing and the other 22 individuals transported the drugs from Kalaw to Yamethin. It was further learned that the onward transport from Yamethin to Mandalay had been ordered by a woman named Kyu Kyu Myint (still at large). Legal action has been taken against those arrested along with the narcotics, and efforts are continuing to apprehend other offenders connected with the case.