Over 140 Million Kyats in Salaries for Pakokku No. 5 Garment Factory Staff Robbed at Gunpoint in Front of Factory

Over 140 million kyats withdrawn for the salaries of employees at the No. 5 Garment Factory in Pakokku, Magway Region, were robbed by an armed group at gunpoint at the factory entrance, local residents reported. Around 10 AM on August 28, officials from the factory, located east of Pakokku city, withdrew 141 million kyats from Myawaddy Myanmar Economic Bank for employee salaries. On their return, they were intercepted and robbed by armed individuals who were waiting at the factory entrance. "They were attacked right in front of the factory on their way back from withdrawing money from the bank. Two people on a motorcycle pointed guns at their temples and took the money, the car, and the employees who were with them," a local resident familiar with the incident told the Irrawaddy Times. The abducted individuals were identified as driver U Pyae Phyo Maung, 40, assistant factory manager U Aung Htike, 54, accountant (2) U Aung Thu, 43, and accountant (2) Daw Myint Myint Than, 52. The car they were traveling in was also seized. Subsequently, the group took the employees and the car to a location where another armed group was waiting. After that, the people and the car were released, and the 141 million kyats were looted. According to the released individuals, the armed group fled towards Paung Laung Lake, east of Sawtwin village, after looting the money. Robberies are frequently occurring in Pakokku city. On August 15, an unknown armed group robbed a grocery store on 1st Street in Ward No. 3 of over six hundred thousand kyats and a mobile phone. With such targeted robberies of businessmen and affluent individuals occurring one after another, many local businessmen are reportedly leaving the city and relocating.