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NEWS - Myanmar arrests nearly 600



Subject: NEWS -  Myanmar arrests nearly 600 people in anti-drug sweep

Myanmar-drugs
   Myanmar arrests nearly 600 people in anti-drug sweep
   
   BANGKOK, Aug 25 (AFP) - Myanmar authorities have arrested nearly 600
people 
and seized large amounts of heroin and amphetamine tablets in a recent 
anti-drugs operation, state television reported Wednesday.
   The seizures were made by police, soldiers and customs officials in
July, 
TV Myanmar said in a broadcast monitored here.
   A total of 577 suspects including 94 women were charged with 
drugs-related 
offenses, it said.
   14.62 kilogrammes (32.12 pounds) of heroin was seized along with
2,073,759 
amphetamine tablets as part of the nationwide anti-narcotics crackdown, 
according to the report.
   The officials also confiscated nearly 76 kilogrammes of raw opium and
5.24 
kilogrammes of marijuana as well as large quantities of heroin-refining 
chemicals and illegal medicine, the television added.
   It also said more than 9,824.6 acres (3,970 hectares) of poppy fields
had 
been destroyed in the country during the 1998-99 poppy-growing season.
   Myanmar forms part of the infamous "Golden Triangle" poppy-growing
region 
which includes parts of Thailand and Laos.
   Western countries accuse Myanmar of being one of the world's leading 
producers of heroin and of taking big profits from the drugs trade.
   But Myanmar's military regime denies the charges.
   smo/jd