More drug flow into southern Mon state

More drug flow into southern Mon state
by -
IMNA
Even though the military junta claims that Burma will be drug free by 2014 the number of people addicted to drugs in southern Burma is increasing, local people said.

Even though the military junta claims that Burma will be drug free by 2014 the number of people addicted to drugs in southern Burma is increasing, local people said.

More and more Amphetamine is coming into southern Burma area with drugs easy to access, people said.

"Last month a coffee shop in my town was raided by the police on suspicion of selling amphetamine," a coffee shop owner in Mudon town told IMNA.

Local people said, a number of youth use drugs laced with alcohol.

"Two of my friend's students used it. But luckily, the teacher did not know until they finished school," a high school student who arrived on the border said.

Amphetamine is called Say-pyar by students and it is a well-known name among male students.

Moulmein universities students said, the price of a tablet has gone up from 1000 to 4000 Kyats and they are available in the university compound.

A majority of the tablets are accessed from local authorities and some ethnic cease-fire group members.

Pa-an and Kawkreik township are the best places and easiest to access the tablet, said local people and amphetamine trafficked to Thailand is also increasing through the area. The number of amphetamines seized has also increased compared to previous years.

More than 28,000 amphetamines tablets were seized by authorities and more than 8,000 pills were seized by New Mon State Party in 2008 in Three Pagoda Pass border point.

Ten years ago there was no such pill in the border area said a resident in Three Pagoda Pass.

In a ceremony marking the global anti-drug day, the Burmese junta claimed the country would be drug free in the next six years after China provided US $ 100 million to end poppy cultivation.

However the United Nation has warned that opium production in the country has again soared. A majority of the poppy is grown in the strongest ethnic cease-fire group, the United Wa State Army controlled areas, in the east of the country.

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime report last year drug production had gone up by 46 per cent in 2006-2007.