Thailand and Myanmar burn seized drugs worth $2 billion

[rooster59]

Thailand and Myanmar burn seized drugs worth $2 billion

By Prapan Chankaew and Zaw Naing Oo

 

A firefighter walks by the burning drugs during a destruction ceremony to mark International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Yangon, Myanmar, June 26, 2020. REUTERS/Stringer

 

AYUTTHAYA, Thailand/YANGON (Reuters) - Thailand and Myanmar destroyed 25 tonnes of illicit drugs collectively worth more than $2 billion on Friday, but said the tide of drugs was growing as organised crime gangs boost supply and find new channels to do business.

 

Southeast Asia's Golden Triangle - where northern Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet - has long been a hub of illicit drug trafficking. Production is now on an industrial scale.

 

In Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok, Thai authorities marked International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with a mass incineration of drugs.

 

Black-clad police commandoes guarded stacks of boxes of drugs unloaded from trucks, and heroin bricks and bags stuffed with pink methamphetamine pills where thrown into dumpsters for incineration.

 

Thai counter-narcotics chiefs said coronavirus travel restrictions and checkpoints had helped reduce smuggling activities although the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says the trade has thrived https://reut.rs/2NzewOl.

 

Wisanu Prasarthong-osoth, a deputy national police chief, said drugs criminals were becoming creative.

 

"Our children are making the wrong decision to order narcotic drugs online. And the dealers send to them," he said.

 

Though opium cultivation and heroin refining has declined, methamphetamine production in Myanmar's lawless northern regions has increased, with armed ethnic groups in business with organised crime elements.

 

Thailand is used mainly as a conduit and distribution point.

 

UNODC regional representative Jeremy Douglas said online drug sales was a worrying trend and a methamphetamine oversupply was pushing prices down.

 

"We are looking now at an increase in drug availability. Very dangerous," Douglas said.

 

Black plumes of smoke filled the sky in Myanmar's biggest city, Yangon, as sacks full of drugs were set ablaze.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames.

 

"Frankly speaking, Myanmar has become the transit place of narcotic drug distribution to Europe and Asia," said Hla Wai, a Myanmar police colonel.

 

(Additional reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Jiraporn Kuhakan in Bangkok; Writing by Martin Petty, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-27

 

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[PatchinExPat]

Good. Not a cure all, but good.

[JCP108]

Should they be wearing respirators?

[phkauf]

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'd bet no drugs were actually burned. $2 billion split between the Burmese and Thai police is far too much a temptation. Probably a lot of trash got incinerated.

 

[Burma Bill]

Back in March this year, and just the "tip of the iceberg" in Burma:-

 

Foreign military attachés gather on a football ground where seized drugs, vehicles, laboratory accessories and precursor chemicals were displayed in Kawnghka at Shan State on Friday. (AFP Photo)

 

The seizure, in one of the world’s biggest narcotics-producing regions, put three major laboratories out of business this week and hauled in 43 million speed pills.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, PatchinExPat said:

Good. Not a cure all, but good.

Except for PM 2.5

[Darksidedude]

yes bit of stuff be going missing here for sure 100%

[EVENKEEL]

What happened to the good ole days when it was thai stick and china white...only??

[Mr Meeseeks]

Street value $2 billion.

Actual value $10 million.

[HaleySabai]

I saw that big bust and apparent burn-up of narcotics in the Shan State, but got the impression of a photo-op,set-up. Considering Shan-State is an absolutely lawless region where virtually everyone who is anyone is involved to some degree in the drug trade made me wonder WHO is the actual law enforcement in this case? Apparently this region is well on it's way to becoming the premiere meth-lab forecasted to over take the Mexican Cartel in global dominance. Precursor chemicals are abundantly supplied from China, which may be endorsed by the CCP who's play book in guerrilla warfare is to flood Western societies with narcotics (presumably an effective lesson learned from the British).

Of course the DEA and other international agencies are no doubt putting pressure on the government to tackle the "problem". So here, I believe is the "proof" we see that something is being done, I would not at all be surprised if those neat lines of blue jugs & barrels et.. are in fact empty.

 

[mikebell]

On 6/27/2020 at 4:53 PM, phkauf said:

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'd bet no drugs were actually burned. $2 billion split between the Burmese and Thai police is far too much a temptation. Probably a lot of trash got incinerated.

 

Here, here.  Heroin and flour look the same from a distance as one Thai Cabinet minister insists.