Burma Arrests 328 Suspected Drug Dealers

Burma's state-run newspaper says police have arrested 328 suspected drug dealers in an effort to crack down on rampant drug trafficking.

The New Light of Myanmar reports Friday that the 270 men and 58 women were arrested in raids last month. Police also seized 73 kilograms of opium, 15 kilograms of heroin and various other illicit drugs in more than 100 raids.

A U.S. State Department report issued earlier this month said Burma is one of only two countries in the world that have failed to meet international counter-narcotics obligations. The other country is Venezuela.

The International Narcotics Control Strategy report on global drug trends and money laundering says although Burma continues to cut opium poppy cultivation, the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs significantly increased in 2006.

It says Burma remains the second largest opium poppy grower in the world, after Afghanistan. - VOA News