“The town authorities, who include township administration officers and traffic police, forced us to pay,” an owner said.

“The traffic police department collected 3000 kyats per vehicle. 2000 went to township officers and one to the traffic police,” he added.

The posters highlight human trafficking and show the problems it causes, said a schoolteacher from Buthidaung. They have been distributed to raise public awareness.

However, the authorities are extrorting money from all drivers traveling between Maungdaw and Buthidaung as well as those inside the Buthidaung municipal area.