The government's Information Committee announced on May 2 that drugs worth over Ks 1.8 million have been seized in the Rakhine State within seven years.
These drugs have been seized from 2011 to May 1, 2018 and the total amount of seized drug is Ks 1,836,925.934, according to the announcement.
Methamphetamine tablets, crystal methamphetamine, marijuana, buprenorphine, alprazolam, diazepam, diazepam injection, morphine injection, Lutigesic, Zoliuncarpa zolarn, catamin, fantanyl, and ephedrine have been seized.
“Although there aren’t opium and brown opium in the Rakhne State, the sale and use of morphine, marijuana, and methamphetamine tablets are widespread among students and youths. By looking at this, we can assess that methamphetamines are easily entering the Rakhine State via various routes. So, we need to find these drugs entry route, draft plans, and carry them out until drugs have been eradicated,” the Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu said during Myanmar Police Forces Day ceremony held at U Ottama Hall in Sittwe, Rakhine State on October 1, 2017.
According to the statement, 61,070,799.5 methamphetamine tablets, 2.5868 kilos of crystal methamphetamine, 193.29517 kilos of marijuana, 4,973 bottles of buprenorphine, 4,320 alprazolam tablets, 31,494 diazepam tablets, 122,240 bottles of diazepam injection, 2,231 bottles of morphine injection, 380 bottles of Lutigesic, 270 Zoliuncarpa zolarn tablets, 0.14 kilos of catamin, 700 bottles of fantanyl, and 0.515 kilos of ephedrine have been seized within seven years.
“I want to say that the future of the Rakhine State is very worrisome if these [drug issues] aren’t strictly handled,” said Ma Htwe Htwe, a Rakhine resident.
A total of 613 cases have been opened and 1,011 culprits have been arrested in relation to these seized drugs.
(Note: The number of seized methamphetamine tablets is as stated by the Information Committee in its announcement.)
