Junta extorts 80% of vehicle value from owners of unlicensed vehicles

June 11, 2025

HURFOM: In Mon State, the military junta has been arresting the owners of unlicensed vehicles and owners of vehicles with temporary licenses and extorting 80% of the value of these vehicles from the owners.

Failure to pay results in the vehicle seizure and one to three months jail time.

“Their arrest, extort or jail program is really tough here. They keep the seized vehicles in the football field. The owner of a motorbike which was priced at one million MMK had to pay 800,000 MMK. The owner of vehicles priced at ten million MMK had to pay seven or eight million MMK. If the owner doesn’t pay, the vehicle will be seized and he/she will be jailed,” said a Kyike Hto resident.

If the owner is eligible for conscription and unable to pay, the authorities threaten them with compulsory military service.

Both soldiers, and police are involved in taking bribes.

“The main purpose of arresting owners of unlicensed vehicles is to take a bribe. They asked for seven or eight million MMK from the owners of the Honda “wave series” motorbikes. If the owner is unable to pay the bribe, they threaten to send him to military training,” said a Mawlamyine resident.

The junta’s project of arresting owners of unlicensed vehicles disrupts local social and rescue teams providing emergency response services, as these operations heavily rely on the use of unlicensed vehicles. In addition taxi drivers have stopped their operations due to thorough road checks and arrests taking place.

“People have been in trouble since the day they began this program. The taxi driver can’t have two passengers. They aren’t just checking motorbike licenses but they’re also stopping drivers for not having helmets, rear mirror and driving license. They’re checking everything so some taxi drivers stop their services,” said a taxi driver.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News