Myanmar denies drug allegations

Myanmar denies drug allegations

THAILAND: Myanmar denied on Sunday that drug factories inside its
army camps were responsible for a massive tide of an illegal
stimulant drug sweeping through Thai society.

The government said its narcotics officials were stunned by
comments by a senior Thai military official that 1 billion
methamphetamine pills, called "ya ba" in Thai, will be smuggled
into Thailand from Myanmar next year.

The Bangkok Post quoted Thai Deputy Army Commander Gen.
Wattanachai Chaimuenwong as saying on Saturday that factories
manufacturing the drug were located in Burmese military camps
along the border.

"Burmese soldiers are selling ya ba," it quoted him as saying.
"They are back to their old activity. There are 30 to 50 drug
factories along the border."

In a statement, the Myanmar government said that despite "all
these groundless allegations thrown at Myanmar," its officials
hope to "work together with all the countries that have been
affected by this scourge".

It said the drug problem "needs to be addressed in a spirit of
sincere and mutual cooperation by the entire world community." --
AP