Myanmar seizes large amount of drugs in Chindwin river

Myanmar authorities have seized a large amount of narcotic drugs worth a total of 1.57 million U.S. dollars in the country's Chindwin River during a raid on a motorized boat running in the river, official media reported Tuesday. Together with the seized drugs, five culprits were also arrested when a squad of Monywa anti-narcotic task force searched the motorized boat in the river near Latpansu village in Kani township, said the New Light of Myanmar. The confiscated drugs included 13.06 million of pseudoephedrine- based cold and flu tablets weighing 2,005 kilograms (kg) and 9 kg of ephedrine, the report said, adding that further investigation is being made to expose their accomplice. According to earlier official report, in July, Myanmar authorities exposed 342 drug-related cases and punished 473 culprits including 84 women. During the month, the authorities seized 22.55 kg of opium, 116. 6 kg of heroin, 14.54 kg of marijuana and 1,460,939 stimulant tablets. In June, Myanmar authorities ceremonially burned seized narcotic drugs worth of a total of 102.38 million U.S. dollars in three cities -- Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi. Meanwhile, Myanmar's Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control recently announced extension of its 15-year drug eradication plan (1999-2014) for another five years until 2019. The original 15-year plan has now reached the third year of its final five-year phase before it was extended.