A senior Burmese Army official has advised three infamous militia drug leaders patronized by the junta in Burma’s Shan State to make quick money from drug trafficking before the country goes to the polls on November 7, sources close to the militias said.

The militia leaders were summoned in July and advised to take advantage of the prevailing situation and make some quick money from their drug business by Maj-Gen Aung Than Htut, former commander of Northeastern Regional Command based in Lashio, Northern Shan State, said the sources.

The local militia leaders into drug trade--- Yang Goi Ta of Tamungnye Militia in Kutkai Township, U Yang Lin of Shauhaw-Lunghtan Militia in Kutkai Township, and U Kyaw Myint of Panse Militia in Nam Hkam Township responded with alacrity to the call of commander Maj-Gen Aung Than Htut, said the sources.

All three militia leaders are of Chinese origin and have been used by the Burmese junta for nearly two decades to take on the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and Shan rebels as well as launching a drug war in Kachin and Shan areas, said local people.

The junta in return has allowed drug and other business opportunities to all militia groups including the three in Northeast Shan State.

Commander Aung Than Htut told militia leaders that “A change in government is in the offing. We in the Burmese Army do not know now whether we can protect you as we did earlier.  So, expedite and take advantage of the drug business,” said sources close to the militia groups.

The suggestion from Maj-Gen Aung Than Htut came in July before he was promoted to Chief of Bureau of Special Operation-2 in August.

Interestingly this year, production of opium, heroin, methamphetamine and amphetamine tablet and consequent smuggling has gone up and is being indulged in more freely in Northern Shan State, local observers of the drug scene told Thailand-based Kachin News Group.

The three militia groups distribute drugs, especially heroin and the tablets in Shan State, Kachin State and India through the Indo-Burma border, added the local observers.

Ironically, the Tamungnye Militia leader Yang Goi Ta will contest from the Kutkai Township for the Burmese junta’s proxy party the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) whereas U Kyaw Myint will contest from Nam Hkam Township for the USDP, said residents of the two townships.

Tamungnye Militia leader Yang Goi Ta is close to junta supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe, sources close to the militia leader said.

The three militia leaders provided millions of dollars to the Burmese junta and also bribed over 50 million Kyat (US$526,316) in a year to the former Northeastern Commander Maj-Gen Aung Than Htut, said sources close to the militia groups.