Narcotic Drugs Control in Myanmar

[OKKAR66127@xxxxxxx]

>From:	Thuriya

The follwoing is the Press Release issued by the Embassy of Myanmar,
Washington DC on 20  March 1998. 
(Press Release No 3/98)


Narcotic Drugs Control  in Myanmar 

Significant Results Achieved in 1997


4,587 kg of Heroin and Large Amounts of Other Drugs Destroyed in Public 
on 27 February 1998



The Myanmar authorities stepped-up seizures of opium and heroin in the past
year.

On 27 February, the authorities destroyed in public an unprecedented amount of
confiscated drugs. The public destruction, the twelth in a series which began
in February 1990 was witnessed by senior Myanmar officials, diplomats, UN
officials, former Secretary-General of ASEAN,  executives representing the
Young Presidents Organization and local and foreign newsmen.

The guests present on the occasion had the opportunity to test the drugs
before they were torched.

The drugs destroyed included :

opium				 4587 	kg
heroin				   898 	kg
morphine			     94 	kg
opium oil			       9 	kg
opium liquid			     11 	kg
inferior opium		     21 	kg
marijuana			   139 	kg
phensedyl			 1500 	litre
stimulant		     2842,783	tablets
cough syrup			     88 	gallons
( containing opium )
cough pastilles		 4845 	pastilles
( contaning opium )
methaqualone tablets	   750	tablets
morphine injection		   180 	ampoules



The street value of the drugs destroyed is estimated at US $ 1.2 billion ( A
table of narcotic drugs destroyed on 12 occasions between February 1990 and
February 1998 may be seen in the Annexure. )

In the course of the year, the authorities also seized and destroyed nearly
2500 gallons of precursor chemicals. This represents a five-fold increase over
the amount seized in 1996.

Notwithstanding the fact that the U.S. has since 1988 witheld all assistance
to Myanmar, the drug enforcement authorities in Myanmar have continued their
efforts with undimished will and dedication.

Myanmar appreciates that narcotic drugs is a global problem that requires
global solutions. It cooperates with the United Nation Drugs Control
Programme (UNDCP)and is actively engaged in sub-regional drug-abuse control
efforts with its immediate neighbours Bangladesh, China, India, Laos and
Thailand. It has also signed anti-drug agreements with the Philippines,
Vietnam and the Russia Federation.	

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