In Thayetchaung Township of the Taninthayi Region, police have been setting up checkpoints in front of the police station and engaging in the illicit practice of extorting money from vehicles passing through, locals have accused.
Starting from the first week of June, the police have been conducting vehicle inspections at the checkpoint on a daily basis from approximately 6:00 AM onwards, using various pretexts as a means to extort money, according to a witness who personally experienced such an incident.
"The police meticulously scrutinize every single item in the vehicles passing through. We've witnessed cases where motorists were extorted amounts ranging in the tens of thousands of kyats. Regrettably, it is solely the police who are engaging in this extortion. Due to ongoing conflicts in the surrounding villages, they have established checkpoints within the town as a pretext to unlawfully extort money”, he told KIC.
Furthermore, the witness revealed that this type of extortion is not limited to just the checkpoint in front of the police station. Similar incidents of extortion have also been observed at checkpoints located at Pauktine, Shwegu Bridge, and Outtu Bridge.
A police officer who has actively participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) highlighted that under the military dictatorship, the police, who have become subservient to the Military Council, are not only engaging in arbitrary actions against the populace but also involved in illicit and reprehensible activities like such extortions.
"There is no legal basis for the police to extort money from the public. Unfortunately, such illegal cases have existed in the past. However, the current situation is deeply concerning as the police now unjustly label their every word as law”, he pointed out.
Recently, Yange village in Thayetchaung Township experienced the devastating consequences of invasion and arson committed by the troops of the Military Council, resulting in the destruction of four houses.
According to reports from local media outlets, the soldiers engaged in abhorrent actions, including the arrest and torture of locals, looting of homes and shops, and forcibly confiscating phones, valuables, clothes, and food.
