Four people were arrested by the police in Kyaukpru in Arakan State, on charges of human trafficking, a local resident said.

"They are from Thain Ban Chaung Ward in Kyaukpru and they have been detained at the Kyaukpru police station," he said.

Two of the four people who have been arrested are Muslims while the other two are Buddhists.

A Muslim couple, Ma Khin Hla, who is a nurse, and her husband Maung Ni, were initially arrested by the police. After their arrest, Maung Maung Tin and Pho Than were also arrested for alleged involvement in human trafficking.

The police said that the accused were sending Muslim people to Rangoon and Malaysia in exchange for large payments. A local source said one individual had to pay between 300,000 and 500,000 kyat for travel to Rangoon and 1 million kyat for a passage to Malaysia.

In Arakan State, the Burmese military does not allow Muslims to travel to Rangoon and other parts of Burma freely. It is due to these restrictions, many Muslims in Arakan are paying money to agents for a passage to Rangoon and other parts of Burma.