The military government of Myanmar accused a faction of the ceasefire group the Shan State National Army of producing and stockpiling large quantities of drugs.
The accusations come as the government destroyed nearly $47 million of ceased drugs. 47,286 methamphetamine pills, 670 liters of liquid opium, and more than 1,000 liters of precursor chemicals were included in the drug bust. The drugs were burned at an official ceremony in the presence of foreign diplomats, representatives of UN agencies, and journalist.
Brigadier General Khin Yi, the police chief officiating the ceremony, said that those responsible were a small breakaway group of the SSNA. He assured the crowd that the SSNA as an organization was not involved in the drug storage.
Myanmar was listed as the world’s second largest opium producer in the US State Department’s “2006 International Narcotic Control Strategy Report.”
Irrawaddy: Junta Accuses Ceasefire Members of Drugs Production – 20 July
