A 12-year-old child is currently being detained after Lashio police found a large amount of stimulant tablets in his backpack.
According to The Voice, the arrest happened around 9pm on Monday night. Police were tipped off about the drugs and waited on the outskirts of Lashio. Upon stopping a motorcycle that was coming in from the direction of Mong Yaw village, they discovered that the driver was a 12-year-old kid who was transporting the drugs in his backpack; a 23-year-old man was also riding behind him.
Police found approximately 2400 tablets worth a total of MMK4.8 million.
It’s unclear whether the man and child are related. Officers from the Lashio Township Police Station told The Voice that both culprits are from Kay Kan village, and are currently being held for investigation. A case has been opened under Sections 15 and 16(a) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law.
Shan State is one of the world’s largest opium production sites. One Lashio resident revealed to The Voice that it’s unfortunately common for drug dealers in northern Shan State — where heroin is more widely available compared to other parts of the region — to use children to sell and transport their illegal substances.
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