A man who allegedly impersonated a military captain while recruiting people for military service in Taungoo, Bago Region, was arrested along with knives, mobile phones and a vehicle on September 11, according to a Taungoo Township police official.
Police received information that a man was recruiting people for military service in Taungoo under the name of Captain Sithu Phyo, also known as Phyo Sithu. Officials from the Taungoo Township Police Force subsequently launched an investigation.
During the initial investigation, the local military command reportedly confirmed that there was no captain bearing that name stationed in the area. Police were therefore instructed to continue investigating the case in accordance with police procedures.
At about 1:30 a.m. on September 11, Taungoo Township police officers and local police personnel, accompanied by witnesses, searched the massage parlour at Global Grace Hotel in Ward 20, Taungoo, after receiving information that the alleged impersonator, Sithu Phyo, also known as Phyo Sithu, was there.
During the search, police reportedly found Sithu Phyo sleeping alone in a room. A knife with a blade approximately one foot long and a red cord wrapped around its handle was found and confiscated from a military-green shoulder bag bearing the word “TASHANHU” beside the bed.
Police also seized a large bird-beak-style knife with a blade approximately 2.5 feet long and a dark-blue sheath, found inside the front passenger compartment of the black KLUGER vehicle bearing registration number YGN-12 6E/9996. Other seized items included a national registration card in the name of Maung Nyein Phyo, a driving licence in the name of Maung Nyein Chan, two mobile phones and the vehicle.
According to a police official, the arrested man, Maung Nyein Phyo, also known as Sithu Phyo and Phyo Sithu, is 29 years old, works in trading and lives in Peh Chat Kone Village, Taungoo Township.
A Taungoo resident said, “He had been making a living this way in town for quite some time, but nobody dared to say anything about it. We often saw posts on Taungoo groups and pages saying that people had been abducted. No one felt at ease. We are grateful that he has been arrested, and we hope that anyone else involved will also be arrested.”
A case has been opened against Sithu Phyo, also known as Phyo Sithu, at Taungoo Myoma Police Station under Case No. (P) 73/2026 and Section 365. Police are continuing to investigate whether he committed any other offences in addition to impersonating a captain and recruiting people for military service.
