A police officer faced gunfire on the way back from a drug arrest in Mote-Soe-Kyon village in Kyaikmayaw, Mon State on December 5th.

Before the shooting took place, seven police officers from the Mawlamyine Drug Police Force, Battalion (3) seized 1,540 tablets of the branded drug “WY” which are a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine. They policy also confiscated 200,000 kyat from a 38-year-old named Mara-Hee-Ma-Bi and her niece, 22-year-old Ma Tin Tin Myint (aka) Ro-Sana.

A man wearing a navy blue uniform followed the police offers on their way back to their station after the drug bust, and then fired 15 shots at the police officers, according to the police report.

One gunshot struck the right ear of police officer Yan Naing Myint, and he was admitted to the Yangon General Hospital. Police are still searching for the gunman, according to the Kyaikmayaw City Police.

“We have a responsibility to arrest drug dealers. I have observed that there is a need for the rule of law in these areas. We are still in the process of investigating further information related to the two women we have caught,” added Col. Nay Htut Oo.

Both Mara-Hi-Ma-Bi and her niece, 22-year-old Ma Tin Tin Myint have been arrested on the charges of possession of Ma Ya (pa) 8/2019 under section 19(a), 20(a) and 21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law.

The gunman who shot at the police officer when apprehended, will be charged under 2490/2019 the Penal Code Section 307/333, according to the Kyaikmayaw City Police.