Burmese officials linked with drug production: Ethnic youth group

Written by Khun Aung Myat   

12 December 2007.

Large quantities of raw opium and heroin were seized in Southern Shan State but the news did not appear in newspapers because the case was related to high ranking military officials, said  a report released today by Ethnic Youth Network (Burma).

About 30 tons of drugs were seized in Southern Shan State . The quantity of drug is the largest size in Southern Shan State, said the report.

The drugs were worth is about 2,500 hundred thousands Kyat. The drugs were seized by the Burma Army and narcotic-control police on 4 and 8 November from an opium factory in Hte Tam village, Loi Maw hill in Hse Hsai Township.

The opium refinery factory is located in the area of the SNPLF (Shan State Nationalities People Liberation Front) which is controlled by former chairperson U Chit Maung. According the report, Burmese military officials have a nexus with opium cultivators and drug production.

The general secretary of 'Pa-O' liberation army, Col. Khun Thurein and said "The location is called Hte Tam which is east of Hten Yang village. I heard that an opium refinery factory was s raided. It seems to be connected with them (Burma Army). If it is not connected with them, it is impossible for others to run it. It is because the location of the drug seized is not far from LIB 425 and LIB 426. The factory cannot be set up without the involvement of local authorities, army and police."

Burmese authorities have arrested U Pannya (a) Talaw who is the factory keeper. The possible owner of the factory, is Khun Chit Aung (son of the former chairman U Chit Mg) who is absconding. U Chit Mg and his son gave 50 hundred thousands to Col. Mya Win, the strategic commander in Eastern Shan state and gives 30 hundred thousands to LIB 425 and LIB 426 as monthly fees, said the report.

U Chit Mg and his followers left the Naung Htao Headquarter and surrendered to SPDC.

Even though Myanmar Alin newspaper published that the Burma Army and anti-narcotic police destroyed 150 opium fields, the newspaper did not publish anything about the seizure.