By Aung Shinn

FIRST and foremost, it is informed in advance that the information presented in this ar­ticle does not consist of biased accusations or fabricated facts.

This article will highlight an armed terrorist group that dreams of achieving its racial prejudices and political ambitions through armed means, and which is heavily involved in the drug trade for its survival, threaten­ing the entire human race in the world.

The AA group is an armed terrorist group comprised mostly of Rakhine people. How­ever, the public already knows that neither all Rakhine people accept the AA group, nor does it represent Rakhine State and the Rakhine ethnic people. Un­deniable evidence indicates that the AA group is indeed a terrorist armed group led by a self-serving group of Rakhine individuals, who are trampling on the Rakhine people and Ra­khine State, with extremist ra­cial sentiments, destroying the peace and stability of Rakhine State, and massively engaging in drug trafficking.

Evil-natured drug lord

The AA group, which emerged in 2009 in the KIA-con­trolled area, was formed with Rakhine people who had ar­rived in Kachin State. To equip its members with weapons, the AA group has heavily traded am­phetamine pills, ICE, and heroin, not only within the country but also to foreign countries where large profits can be made, fol­lowing the examples of its god­fathers, the KIA, the UWSA and the MNDAA groups. Since its inception, the AA has lacked strong businesses and has not received sufficient tax revenue from the impoverished Rakhine ethnic people. Therefore, it relies primarily on income from drug trafficking to purchase rations, weapons, ammunition and fuel for its members.

The AA's drug trade has expanded its market abroad. The AA group is working with international drug lords in a network-like manner, involv­ing the smuggling of precursor chemicals, drug production, transport and storage of drugs, distribution within the country, and coordination for drug trade abroad.

Drug seizures involving AA group members

From 2016 to 21 July 2025, there were 24 instances of sei­zures of narcotics and weapons/ ammunition involving members of the AA terrorist insurgent group. During the incidents, 276 drug-re­lated offenders were arrested, together with over 14.4 million methamphetamine pills, over 11.9 tonnes of ICE (crystal meth), 800 kg of caffeine, 2.2 tonnes of Keta­mine, with a total estimated value of over 266 billion Kyats (over USD 73.9 million). Moreover, along with them, 224 weapons, 41,379 rounds of ammunition, 977 magazines, 36 hand grenades, 178 mortar shells, 25 GPS devices, 40 satel­lite phones, related accessories, vehicles, motorboats and ships used for transporting narcotics were seized. The seizures in de­tail can be read on the Infosheet Website https://infosheet.org///.

Apparent narcotics seizures

Of 24 narcotics seizures in­volving AA group members, 9 ap­parent narcotics seizures involv­ing AA top leaders themselves will be highlighted. On 8 August 2019, over 2.48 million methampheta­mine pills, emblems with the AR­AKAN Army logo, hand grenades, and walkie-talkies were seized at the residence of San Thar Kyaw, the Yekkun Taing village admin­istrator of Rathedaung Township in Rakhine State–cum-member of the AA group. The drugs were stored for distribution to refugee camps within the Rakhine State and on the Bangladesh border, as well as for AA members’ use, according to San Tha Kyaw's con­fession. In various towns and vil­lages throughout Rakhine State, the AA group tends to task indi­viduals deemed trustworthy, like San Thar Kyaw, among those who have been assigned administra­tive responsibilities, with the ad­ditional task of distributing illicit drugs.

Between 3 and 9 Decem­ber 2023, authorities seized 2.07 tonnes of ICE (crystal meth) and 800 kg of caffeine, estimated at 51.87 billion Kyats (over USD 24 million), at the Aung Mingalar Highway Bus Terminal in Yangon. During the operation, authorities arrested a drug trafficking ring that included four ranking officers and three other members of the AA group, as well as eight civil­ians.

According to the interro­gations, as per the instructions of AA leader Twan Mrat Naing, his trusted confidant and the AA’s business-in-charge, Colo­nel-ranked Kyaw Myat Oo (aka) Thar Thar (aka) Wai Thar Tun, managed to conduct drug-traffick­ing. The drugs were produced by the armed groups in Shan State, and they plotted to smuggle the drugs to Rakhine State from Man­dalay and Yangon via land and water routes. They confessed that the drugs were to be shipped to Malaysia and Indonesia via the sea adjoining Rakhine State. It can be witnessed that AA group members are being tasked to be involved in drug dealings.

Drug trade by AA group mem­bers masquerading as civil­ians

On 6 March 2025, authorities arrested a team masquerading as civilians led by AA business in charge of Ye Win (aka) Kyaw Soe Lin at a warehouse located at No 546/547, Hsin Phyu Shin Street, Ward (144), Dagon Myo­thit (South) Township, Yangon Region. Along with them, over 3 tonnes of ICE (crystal meth) and over 200 kg of Ketamine, es­timated at over 96 billion Kyats (USD 28.82 million), were seized. In this case, 14 members of a drug smuggling ring were arrested. Five of whom were business in charges masquerading as civil­ians, tasked by the AA group. It was discovered that many AA leaders' trusted members were arrested in drug trafficking, so the AA members were masqueraded as civilian business in charges in a diversion tactic.

Similarly, on 26 and 27 April 2025, 19 drug-related offenders led by AA’s supply in charge, Nay Paing Lin (aka) Aung Naing Kywe, were arrested in Yangon, Pyapon and Kawthoung. Along with them, 4.113 tonnes of ICE (crystal meth), one litre of ICE liquid and three tonnes of Ketamine were seized. They were a group to purchase arms/ammunition and provide rations for the AA group, using drug sales income.

In this instance, drug dealers masquerading as civilians were covered by the AA group as the supply in charge of AA. They were tasked to conduct drug traffick­ing in fewer trips but in larger quantities.

According to statements from the arrested drug-dealers of AA group members, those tasked to be involved in the drug trade are confidants of AA leader Twan Mrat Naing. The main responsible manipulator is Kyaw Han of colonel-level rank, working as the secretary of the AA group. The arrested drug-related offenders stated that they were not carrying out drug trafficking as a private business, but were being tasked to serve for the AA group. They received more salary and benefits than other AA group members. Their work is compartmentalized into those who keep drugs stored, those who distribute drugs and those who deal drugs abroad. Each group is unaware of an­other’s presence. However, it is reported that a senior in charge, like Wai Thar Tun, had served as a link between the separate groups.

Under the management of AA leader Twan Mrat Naing, profits obtained from the drugs are used to supply arms/am­munition/rations to AA mem­bers, build fortifications and provide support for AA mem­bers. 70 per cent of the income from drugs is usually used to purchase weapons and am­munition, and they are known to exchange weapons for am­phetamine pills and commit money laundering as well as transnational crimes such as human trafficking, connecting with international arms smug­gling gangs.

TO BE CONTINUED