Yangon, Myanmar: Myanmar troops seized $7 million worth of narcotics, precursors and equipment in a raid on drug labs in the restive north, the army said Monday, as it continues a war against ethnic rebels accused of profiting from the drug trade.
Soldiers and local officials found 259 kilogrammes (571 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine and 120 kg of opium in a sweep of the illicit drugs factory spread across 34 buildings near Lwalkhan, a village in war-hit Shan state near the Chinese border.
The army statement, posted on the commander-in-chief's Facebook page, also listed in rare detail the seized drug-producing equipment and precursors, including hundreds of barrels of acid and diesel, 750 bags of caustic soda, 22 freezers, 12 generators and huge caches of caffeine and other chemicals.
"The Tatmadaw (military) seized the drugs in the raid and cooperated with the drug enforcement police team. The legal process is still ongoing," a senior police officer from the anti-drug department told AFP on the condition of anonymity.
The bust took place in Kutkai township, where a record seizure last month brought in 30 million meth pills, two tonnes of "ice" crystal meth and heroin, with an estimated combined value of $54 million.
The raids come as the military continues its seasonal offensive against ethnic minority armed groups in the lawless border areas.
Last week alone, clashes between the army and rebels in Kutkai and neighbouring Hseni township displaced some 870 civilians, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Myanmar's conflict-riddled northeast is a hub for Asia's meth producers, who pump out narcotics that are showered across Southeast Asia and beyond.
Drugs trafficking fuels much of the fighting between the army and the ethnic rebels both of whom are accused of profiting from the illicit trade.
Myanmar is the second-largest opium producer in the world after Afghanistan, although a surge in demand for meth has caused a slump in poppy cultivation in recent years.
Rights groups accuse the military and armed groups of extrajudicial killings, torture and the recruitment of child soldiers.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Soldiers and local officials found 259 kilogrammes (571 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine and 120 kg of opium in a sweep of the illicit drugs factory spread across 34 buildings near Lwalkhan, a village in war-hit Shan state near the Chinese border.
The army statement, posted on the commander-in-chief's Facebook page, also listed in rare detail the seized drug-producing equipment and precursors, including hundreds of barrels of acid and diesel, 750 bags of caustic soda, 22 freezers, 12 generators and huge caches of caffeine and other chemicals.
The bust took place in Kutkai township, where a record seizure last month brought in 30 million meth pills, two tonnes of "ice" crystal meth and heroin, with an estimated combined value of $54 million.
Advertisement
Last week alone, clashes between the army and rebels in Kutkai and neighbouring Hseni township displaced some 870 civilians, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Advertisement
Drugs trafficking fuels much of the fighting between the army and the ethnic rebels both of whom are accused of profiting from the illicit trade.
Advertisement
Rights groups accuse the military and armed groups of extrajudicial killings, torture and the recruitment of child soldiers.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
"India Supports Return Of Democracy In Myanmar": S Jaishankar 1 Lakh Tablets Of Yaba Drug Worth Rs 30 Crore Seized In Assam, 2 Arrested Border Forces Recover 126 Drones, Seize Drugs Near India-Pak Border In Punjab Under-Fire Trainee IAS Officer Accuses Pune Collector Of Harassment Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Recalled To Academy, Training Put On Hold "No Defamatory Remarks Against Governor": High Court To Mamata Banerjee UGC Launches Project To Develop 22,000 Books In Indian Languages IPS Officer's Husband Laundered Money In India, Abroad: Probe Agency Government Announces Partial Rollback Of Fee Hike In 13 Medical Colleges Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.