Over 5 million stimulant tablets, over 170 kg of narcotics seized in Myanmar

Yangon, Dec 28 Myanmar authorities have seized 5.23 million stimulant tablets, 170 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) and 2.6 kg of "Happy Water" drug in Myanmar's Bago region, the state-run daily The Mirror reported on Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Bago town on December 20, and confiscated the narcotics hidden in iron boxes, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the state-run daily The Mirror.

The seized narcotics are approximately worth over 14.1 billion kyats (about $6.71 million), and four suspects were arrested for the case, it said.

Investigation showed that the narcotics came from southern Shan state and were intended to be transported to Yangon region, Rakhine state, and Kayin state, it said.

The suspects have been charged under the country's law, and further investigations are ongoing, it added.

Earlier, on December 18, Myanmar authorities seized a significant amount of narcotics in Myanmar's Shan state. Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police had searched a house in Tachileik town on December 14 and confiscated 141 kg of ICE (methamphetamine), 23 kg of ketamine, and 128,000 ecstasy pills.

On the same day, police conducted another raid at a different house in the same town and seized two kg of happy water, 16,000 happy-5 tablets, and 9 kg of ecstasy powder, it said.

The seized narcotics were estimated to be worth over 5.7 billion kyats (about $2.7 million) in the black market. Three suspects were arrested in connection with the cases, the report added.

The suspects had been charged under the country's law, and further investigations were ongoing, it added.

The Myanmar police had also destroyed 960 acres of opium fields in eastern Myanmar's Shan state, the daily reported.

Police in Loilem district of Shan state had destroyed the opium fields located in Loilem township and the west of Panglong town in Shan state, the report said.

The opium fields, which were grown in hilly areas and on mountain slopes, were eradicated between December 7 and December 15 this year, the report added.

Last month, Myanmar authorities had seized large amounts of narcotic drugs in the regions of Mandalay and Sagaing, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) reported.

The confiscated narcotics included over 150 kg of heroin, over five million stimulant tablets, 412 kg of ICE (methamphetamine), and three tonnes of caffeine.

On November 6, another 13.2 kg of heroin had been seized in Kale township and 89.8 kg of heroin in Chanmyathazi township of Mandalay region, the CCDAC said.

Source: IANS