The 26^th of June is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Ceremonies to mark this day are being held in countries all over the world and also in Myanmar. Every year on this day, Myanmar holds a ceremony to commemorate this day by burning drugs and destroying drugs seized as a result of the efforts to eliminate drugs in the country. Myanmar has conducted ceremonies of burning drugs in this manner and has now reached the 19^th year.

These ceremonies are being conducted not only in Yangon but also in border areas of Myanmar and other townships, and the total number of burning seized drugs has now reached 34 times.

625.029 kilos of opium, 759.201 kilos of heroin, 139.997 kilos of marijuana, 3,029,000 tablets of ATS tablets, 14.763 kilos of ATS powder, 19.316 kilos of Ephedrine powder, 179.646 kilos Ice and 310,285 tablets of Diazepam tablets were burned in this occasion. The drugs to be destroyed at the ceremony have a street value of more than 328 million US $.

Ref: The New Light of Myanmar June 27, 2005