RANGOON — An Arakan State lawmaker questioned the divisional government’s anti-narcotics efforts in state parliament on Monday as a minister revealed that more than 18 million methamphetamine pills—worth about 56 billion kyats—were seized by police in Arakan State last year.
Divisional minister of finance, taxation, planning, and economics U Kyaw Aye Thein told parliament that in 2016, Arakan State police arrested 149 suspected methamphetamine drug dealers—127 men and 22 women—and filed 88 court cases over methamphetamine pills, when questioned by Arakan National Party lawmaker U Aye Thein.
U Kyaw Aye Thein also said 36,000 kg of marijuana had been seized and 25 men and 12 women had been arrested in connection with marijuana. In operations against the trafficking of morphine, a total of 4,300 bottles were seized and five men were arrested.
U Aye Thein quizzed the ministry about border affairs plans to build drug treatment and rehabilitation centers in Arakan State.
U Kyaw Aye Thein told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that drugs from Upper Burma were often smuggled through Arakan State and across the border to Bangladesh.
