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Bkk Post - Drug inflow falls after



Reply-To: "TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Bkk Post - Drug inflow falls after pass closure

Bangkok Post - Sep 15, 1999.
Drug inflow falls after pass closure

Subin Khuenkaew
Chiang Rai

The closure of San Ton Du border pass in Chiang Mai has helped stem the
inflow of amphetamines from Burma into three northern provinces, according
to Jurin Laksanavisit.

The PM's Office minister said fewer speed pills have been smuggled across
the border into Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son since the pass in
Mae Ai district was closed last month.

However, he did not believe that the closure and increased anti-drug
measures could force drug production bases along the border to shut down.

"I haven't been informed yet that the number of amphetamine plants along the
border has fallen. But there is a report that they are now in trouble and
may move their factories to other places, though not far from existing ones.
Anyway, it is certain that we can make it more difficult for them," the
Democrat MP said.

According to Mr Jurin, drug gangs were shifting from smuggling drugs in bulk
to bringing in small amounts of drugs at a time and were also seeking new
trafficking routes. "I have told the military to step up measures and
constantly follow up the smugglers' moves. Officials are gathering
information about reports that the Mekong river has become a drug smuggling
route, with the use of long-tailed boats to deliver drugs to the lower North
and Northeast," he said.

On Monday, Mr Jurin presided over the opening of the first Thai-Burmese
seminar on "Precursor Control in Border Areas" held in Chiang Rai.

He presented two handphones to Burmese representatives to be used in
co-ordinating joint drug suppression operations.

Attending the seminar were 20 Burmese officials, mostly from Tachilek,
Kengtung, Myawaddy and Kawthaung, and 20 police officers from the Narcotics
Suppression Division and local police stations.

Meanwhile, Viroj Soomyai, director of the Food and Drugs Administration's
Narcotics Control Division, said the FDA had been informed by ONCB officials
about the use of a chemical usually mixed in food supplements and another
one mixed in fertiliser, as drug precursors by several drug plants along the
Thai-Cambodian border and in Pattaya.