Myanmar soldiers seize drugs worth $27 million from illicit labs

Soldiers in Myanmar seized narcotics, chemicals and equipment worth $27 million from several illicit labs, the country’s military newspaper The Myawady reported on March 2. According to reports, Myanmarese troops raided several sites in Kutkai township in the eastern shan state after receiving a tip-off.

A series of photographs showing numerous bags, barrels and other containers recovered in operations were also published by the newspaper. While speaking to an international news agency, a police official said that it was the biggest seizure in the nation. According to the Anti Drugs department, Myanmarese officials seized an estimated  US$374 million worth of drugs in 2019. 

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According to reports, the troops ceased nearly 18 million tablets, 333 kg of heroin and 281 barrels of acid hidden in a ground pit along with other equipment, including stoves, tablet making machines and vehicles. Myanmar is the biggest producer of methamphetamine. The high-grade crystal meth produced in illicit labs is reportedly smuggled in Korean, Japanese and Australian markets. Meanwhile, the country also has a booming regional market for ya ba or lower quality tablets. 

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Drugs seized in Odisha

On February 29, brown sugar worth more than Rs 40 lakh was seized and three persons were arrested for illegal possession of drugs in Odisha's Balasore district, national media reported citing police officials. Acting on a tip-off, a police team launched an operation at Sekbad village under the jurisdiction of Jaleswar police station and nabbed the three, the police told reporters. 

Around 40 grams of brown sugar was seized from them, a police officer said. The drug was brought from West Bengal and the accused were caught before they gave it to anyone else, the police officer added. A recent study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says that Southeast Asia's crime gangs are netting more than US$60 billion a year as a result of a sophisticated smuggling and money-laundering operation.

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