Narcotic drugs seized at home were incinerated in Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi on 26 June in commemoration of the 36th International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Such a commemorative day was simultaneously marked in three major cities Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi on the morning of 26 June.
The message sent by Lt-Gen Soe Htut, Chair of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control, to the commemorative day mentioned that the country’s strategy reduces poppy cultivation and controls 39 precursor chemicals used in illicit manufacture of drugs in the country.
Twenty items of narcotic drugs and 16 chemicals worth more than K436 billion (equal to more than US$207 million), seized in the previous year, were set on fire at the west Yangon cargo truck terminal in Hlinethaya (West) Township of Yangon Region.
Narcotic drugs worth more than K1,120 billion in more than 6,700 cases were exposed across the nation in 2022, and more than K8.2 billion was confiscated as the State finance.
The message to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking stated that as part of preventing the diversion of precursors and those chemicals through cooperation with the business industries of utilizing chemicals and relevant departments, efforts are being made to ensure proper use of chemicals and follow rules and regulations to carry out awareness-raising.
Enabling drug addicts to receive medical treatments and to reduce subsequent dangers, the Ministry of Health operates 29 major treatment centres, 56 minor drug treatment centres and 86 methadone maintenance clinics respectively. At the same time, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement runs rehabilitation centres to make arrangements for ex-addicts to reintegrate into the society.
In addition to notifications on new precursors used in the production of narcotic and psychotropic substances into the controlled lists, test kits are provided to Drug Enforcement Division for effective enforcement in the field. The government will issue notifications to put new precursors used in the production of narcotic and psychotropic substances into the controlled lists under the law and strive for using test kits and technologies for ensuring effective enforcement in the field, mentioned in the message sent by Lt-Gen Soe Htut.—TWA/TTA
