31 Oct 2009—A ceremony to destroy narcotic drugs and precursor chemicals seized in Kokang area, Special Region (1) of Shan State (North) was held in the compound of Kokang Region Drugs Elimination Museum this morning.

Secretary of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control and Chief of Myanmar Police Force and party, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Singaporean Ambassador Mr Robert Chua Hian Kong and ambassadors, responsible persons from foreign embassies, Resident Coordinator of UN Mr Bishow Parajuli, resident representatives and responsible persons from UN agencies, Chairman of Kokang Special Region-1 Provisional Leading Committee U Pe Sauk Chain and party, local and foreign correspondents, social organizations, guests and local people attended the ceremony.

Drug Abuse Control and Chief of Myanmar Police Force in his speech said: Our Committee has been holding similar occasions for destroying seized narcotic drugs which are from the whole country, both at respective States and Regions as well as in Yangon. Altogether, a total of 46 different occasions have been held at States and Regions where these drugs were seized and up till 2006, 20 occasions in Yangon alone.

Out of 46 different occasions held for destroying seized narcotic drugs at States and Regions, 5 were actually in Laukai, Kokang Region during the years 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2002 and this is the first time held here again as a special event after 7 years lapse. The narcotic drugs, ATS tablets and related precursor chemicals that we are about to destroy are those seized within a short period of time after the significant incident that took place in Laukai area.

Prior to my presentation on seizures of drugs in Lakai area, I would like to brief the cause of the incident.

Based on the information shared at the third Ministerial Meeting on Combating Transnational Crimes and Maintaining Social Order between Myanmar and China held at Mandalay this year in July, our security forces were able to seize a factory at Yan-lon-kyaing village, Laukai, Kokang Special Region-1 on 11 August 2009, which is owned by U Phone Kyar Shin, U Phone Kyar Phu, U Phone Tar Le and U Phone Tar Shwin.

In connection with this incident, U Phone Kyar Shin and his three associates were called upon repeatedly by the Government to appear before the law in connection with this matter but resulted in vain. Instead, they, with their followers loyal to them, went out and captured members of our police force who were engaged in their own enforcement activities, took them as hostages and killed some, leaving 14 dead and 11 wounded in Laukai area.

Our security forces who tried to release the remaining hostages met with arms resistance from U Phone Kyar Shin, his three associates and the some Kokang armed group who encourage; and this eventually led to open battles.

We also learnt that, even while armed battles were taking place between the security forces and groups loyal to Phone Kyar Shin these groups were moving out their drugs and precursor chemicals from their strong holds to safe places. Those that they were unable to move out, they left it hidden in their farms and plantations. Through follow up measures with the information from local people and some Kokang troops who opposed their unlawful manner, our security forces, in cooperation with local people, were able to seize narcotic drugs, ATS tablets, precursor chemicals used for manufacturing these drugs and other paraphernalia in 50 different incidences within geographic locations where Phone Kyar Shin and his associates once wield influence from 11 August to 24 October 2009. You can observe detail of incidents through Power Point Slides and recorded photos that are displaying outside.

I will highlight some significant cases of those incidents.

During the search undertaken on 11 August 2009, our security forces found illegally imported 200 gallons of Sulphuric acid and 75.38 gallons of Acetone, liquid chemicals inside the seized factory owned by Phone Kyar Shin and his three associates.

On 28 August 2009, law enforcement officers seized 0.32 kilos of caffeine at U Phone Tar Shwin's house in Mandalay.

On 29 August 2009, from inside the Kokang detention building where members of our police force were detained as hostage and killed, we have confiscated one ATS tablet manufacturing machine, 12 iron rods with WY mark moulds, another 12 iron rods without any marking moulds, 10 tablet pounding iron jars, a flat based glass steamer and 122400 numbers of 2 cc ampoules that contain ephedrine hydrochloride. The solution in ampoules is medicine used as nasal drop. However, the test showed that ephedrine hydrochloride is contained in it and used to produce ATS. This demonstrates that these groups are manufacturing ATS tablets using all available means and methods.

On 3 September, our joint team managed to confiscate 3,000 WY brand psychotropic tablets from the residence of U Phone Kyar Phu in Si Aw village, Laukai township where Kokang Army Headquarters is situated. On the same day, 15,440 tablets of methamphetamine, 196 kilos of ephedrine, 104 gallons of acid and 0.44 gallon of chemical liquid were seized at Kokang national Yan His Shin's house who escaped in Tai-Kyar-Kyaing village of Laukai.

Additionally, another 149 gallons of acid were found inside the residence of Phone Kyar Shin at Yan-lon-kyaing village on 6 September 2009.

On 14 September, 5,310,000 tablets of methamphetamine, 336kilos of ephedrine and 83 kilos of ß stimulant powder were also seized in a cave near Yan-shin village.

On 15 September, 5740 tablets of methamphetamine, ICE 190 grams and 100 numbers of hydrogen gas containers that used for production of drugs were seized at a house of absconder Phone Wai Yan @ Phone An @ Maung Maung Lwin, nephew of U Phone Kyar Shin.

On 16 September, 0.47 kilos of ATS powder and 0.13 kilos of heroin at U Phone Kyar Shin's residence at Zarmani new town ward, Laukai.

Another 43.95 gallons of liquid chemicals were found at the residences of absconder Phone Tar Shwin, son of Phon Kyar Shin, in Si Aw village, Laukai area on 17 September.

On 17 September, our security forces also seized 3,962,500 tablets of stimulant, 547.02 kilos of ephedrine, 16 kilos of caffeine, 600 tablets of pseudo-ephedrine and 44 kilos sodium hydroxide crystal and 20 gallons of acid on the hill at the south of Yin-Khin village.

In the follow up raids on narcotic drugs, ATS and liquid chemicals, additional 50 kilos of ephedrine, 55 kilos of chemical powder, 223 gallons of different kinds of acid, 994 gallons of liquid chemical and instruments used in manufacturing ATS were found and confiscated by our security forces on 17 September 2009 from the residence of Phone Kyar Hua (a) Phone Lu at ward No-3, Laukai, who is a brother of Phone Kyar Shin and in hiding.

On 19 September, our security force seized a machine that used to produce stimulant, 38 iron rod moulds, 2 cylinder containers at a store owned by Phone Kyar Kyain @ Phone Chi, youngest brother of Phone Kyar Shin who absconded; and 1.27 gallons of Chloroform, 5.49 gallons of thionylchloride, 12.74 gallons of acetone, 3.51 gallons of ether, 38.8 gallons of hydrochloric acid and 4.4 gallons of phosphoric acid in a garden beside of his house.

There are 10 different cases of ATS and chemical seizures at houses owned by U Phone Kyar Shin and his family and 7 cases of liquid chemical seizures at Si Aw village where Kokang army headquarters is situated.

A review of the incidences will show that the 4 absconders, including Phone Kyar Shin, together with their armed followers of Kokang army are either manufacturing narcotic drugs and ATS tablets themselves and have allowed narcotic drug and ATS production at their own residences, buildings and neighboring areas.

The following are the types an amount of narcotic drugs, ATS, precursor chemicals and related instruments seized in 50 cases in the region during the period from 11 August to 24 October 2009 in Laukai area close to these groups:

A total of more than (11.9) millions ATS tablets seized during two-month period is found to have exceed the total amount seized during the period from 1 January to end August 2009, which is (8.4) million tablets.

I would also like to inform that the total values of drugs, chemicals and related equipment going to be destroyed is over 20 billion kyats (over US$ 20 million).

Myanmar Government, in her efforts to eliminate the illicit drugs as a national cause with her own resources, laid down the 2 strategies and 3 tactics, and has launched a 15-year drug elimination plan from 1999 to 2014 following with the guideline of the Head of State. Since this is the final year of the 2nd 5- year phase of the plan we can say efforts to eliminate narcotic drugs have gained achievement to a certain extent.

The Government is scaling up not only drug supply elimination and law enforcement but also demand elimination to be in line with UNODC's theme "No individual, family or community is safe where illicit drugs take control" through preventive education, drug treatment and rehabilitation.

The Government, in accordance with drug control strategies, strives the development of border areas and livelihood of national races; and elimination of poppy cultivation. The Government has spent 288.753 billion kyats for the development of border areas including this Laukai area from 1989 to the end of September 2009.

Kokang region, since 1989 after signing peace agreement with the State, have worked closely with Government in developing Laukai area. They also opted to combat the menace of narcotic drugs and in 2003, announced publicly that they have abandoned poppy cultivation. Just before that since 2002, they have opened a museum in commemoration of eliminating narcotic drugs.

However, the amount of narcotic drugs, ATS, precursor chemicals and related instruments sized within a very short time frame in Laukai area evident to the fact that, while the State is actively engaged in combating the threat of narcotic drugs as a national cause with sincere intentions to benefit its national races, these people took advantage of the State's goodwill.

It is revealed that U Phone Kyar Shin and his associates were disloyal to the Government and local people; and not only committed themselves but also permitted their associates the production and trafficking of ATS within the region freely and openly like a Mafia gang; and also treated competitors with vengeance ruthlessly.

In conclusion, the State will carry on fight against the illicit production, and traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in cooperation with sincere local Kokang people and Kokang troops who oppose bad manners and against drug menace within this Kokang region, an area which has been—for an extended period—under the influence of U Phone Kyar Shin and 3 associates. On the other hand, we will continue to maintain peace and stability, law and order and enhance the development of this Kokang region and make every effort to achieve the 15-year Drugs Elimination Plan with added momentum.

Next, the Vice- Chairman of Kokang Special Region-1 Provisional Leading Committee U Lu Kwe Shee explained the condition of the region.

The ambassadors, and those present inspected in details the drugs to destroy by seating fire. Mr Robert Chua Hian Kong, Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control and Chief of Myanmar Police Force and the Chairman of Kokang Special Region-1 Provisional Leading Committee U Pe Sauk Chain set fire the narcotic drugs and the ceremony came to a close at 12:30 pm.

The drugs and chemicals destroyed today were 11944837 stimulant tablets, 0.44 kilo of ICE, 0.13 kilo of heroin, 0.899 kilo of opium, 83 kilos of ketamine powder, 6814 litres of five kinds of acid, 23.24 kilos of acid powder, 7965200 Ephedrine tablets, 246 kilos of Ephedrine powder, 64000 Pseudo-ephedrine capsules, 124,707 two CC bottles of Ephedrine liquid, 45 kilos of caffeine, 568 liters of Thyonyle chloride, 3076.50 liters of ether, 7056 liters of acetone, 680 liters of spirit, 2161 liters of ethyl alcohol, 5979 liters of chloroform, 200 kilos of sodium hydroxide crystals, 45 kilos of ammonium chloride, 3079.4 kilos of bone charcoal, 231 bags of puppy bulbs, and 33 different other types of related items. The value of narcotic drugs, chemicals and related items destroyed at the ceremony are over 20 billion kyats or over 20 million US dollars.

The foreign diplomats, resident representatives of UN agencies and responsible persons, accompanied by MPF Chief Brig-Gen Khin Yi, Director-General U Kyaw Kyaw of the Protocol Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and officials, viewed by car progress, stability and peace of Laukkai, activities of local people, stores and hotels.

Next, they observed Yan-lon-kyaing Myanmar-China border checkpoint and posed for group photos. They left Laukkai in the afternoon.