Police in northern Burma’s Sagaing Region seized weapons and other items from the home of a Chin man in Kalay Township on Sunday after receiving a tipoff that he was engaged in illegal narcotics trafficking.
Police said they found weapons, ammunition, and six sets of walkie-talkies during the raid, which took place in Let-Pan-Chaung, a village located 18 miles from Kalay town, on the evening of August 4.
The seized items were reportedly hidden in a space above the ceiling of a bathroom attached to the man’s bedroom. No illegal drugs were discovered in the raid.
The suspect, Ming Thang Zar Wah, 41, is currently being held on remand on suspicion of violating weapons and telecommunications laws.
“We received information about illegal drug trafficking, so army and police forces raided his house. We seized weapons and walkie-talkies above the ceiling of the toilet in his bedroom,” a police officer told Khonumthung News.
“We have opened a case against him. He will be charged under Section 19(f) of the Arms Act and Section 67 of the Telecommunications Law. He is in custody at the Kalay Myoma police station,” the officer added.
The seized items include a .22-caliber rifle with a sniper scope, magazine, and 12 bullets; a double-barreled shotgun with 39 bullets; two air guns (one long and one short) with 2,000 pellets; two air pistols with 85 gas containers and three packs of pellets (800 pellets per pack); four sniper scopes (three long and one short); two pairs of binoculars; six sets of walkie-talkies; four battery chargers; and four gun holsters.
The penalty for illegal possession of arms under the 1951 Arms Act is three to seven years’ imprisonment. Possession or use of illegal or unlicensed communication devices under Section 67 of the 2013 Telecommunications Law is at least one year’s imprisonment, a fine or both.
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FACEBOOK: The suspect faces charges of illegal possession of firearms and communications devices. TWITTER: No illicit #drugs were found, but a man is in custody on suspicion of violating #weapons and #telecommunications laws. #Burma #Myanmar