YANGON, Myanmar — An 18-year-old man in Yangon has returned home with severe injuries after being lured into a trap, drugged with alcohol, and sold to a military base for profit.
The incident, reported by the Rangoon Scout Network (RSN), highlights a terrifying new trend in Myanmar’s commercial capital where civilians are being hunted by predatory gangs to meet the recruitment needs of the sham government.
According to RSN, the victim was lured by an acquaintance he met online to go for drinks near the Koe Htat Gyi Pagoda in Sanchaung Township on March 13, 2026. Once the teenager became intoxicated, a group of men arrived and forcibly abducted him, transporting him to a military facility in Intagaw.
“The captors initially demanded a ransom of 7 million kyat (approx. $2,000 USD) from the family,” an RSN official told MPA. “The family managed to negotiate the price, though the final amount paid for his release remains confidential.”
The youth was eventually released on March 15 but bore the marks of significant physical abuse. Reports from the victim describe a grim environment inside the military camp, where detainees of all ages are held together. He alleged that soldiers forced the captives to beat one another as a form of psychological and physical torture.
This case is part of a broader surge in kidnappings across Yangon. On the night of March 14, another 18-year-old was reportedly abducted in South Okkalapa. Witnesses say the victim was riding his bicycle on Thitsar Road when a private vehicle intentionally struck him. A group of men then bundled the injured youth into the car and drove off.
The victim, a resident of Ward 7, was only able to contact his wife on March 16, informing her that he was being held at the notorious Bayint Naung interrogation center. His current status and whether a ransom has been demanded remain unknown.
Human rights activists warn that the activation of the national conscription law has created a “bounty” on young men. Pro-junta militias and criminal gangs are reportedly working in tandem to snatch civilians, either to fill mandatory recruitment quotas or to extort desperate families for money.
As the sham government’s military continues to suffer heavy losses in rural conflict zones, the urban population of Yangon is facing a breakdown in basic safety, with young men increasingly viewed as a commodity for a desperate regime.
