Drug abuse declines in Mudon Township as the NMSP launches an anti-drug operation

March 2, 2015

There have been no obvious signs of drug use or the drug trade in Mudon Township, Mon State since the New Mon State Party (NMSP) launched its anti-drug operation in January of this year, however, the number of drug-addicted youth has not sharply declined, according to a Mudon Township NMSP officer.

Mudon Township’s NMSP Chief Officer Nai Raja confirmed that during January and February, 2015, the NMSP arrested more than 20 drug users and dealers, sending violators to the Moulmein-District Command.

On February 3rd, the MNSP arrested a significant drug dealer, seizing 387 methamphetamine pills and 4 green-colored oily pills used in drug production, which were hidden in the exhaust pipe of the dealer’s motorbike.

“We arrested him on the way to Ta-Gon-Dai, at the Ta-Non-Pa-Nout check-point near the entrance of A-vit Village,” said Officer Nai Raja, “We’re still investigating as to who is the leader that controls the local drug trade, and we have already arrested six people; five drug users and one drug dealer. We sent them to the Moulmein-District Command.”

Officer Nai Raja remarked that the NMSP detains drug users to educate them about the dangers of drug use, while drug dealers, on the other hand, are handed a jail sentence in accordance to the number of pills they traded.

According to Second Commander Lieutenant Mon Ma-rot of the Mon National Liberation Army, “We, the Mon National Liberation Army, are now launching the drug operation together with the Township Administration Team. In the past, there were too many young people who used drugs and liquor made of opium leaf (Kratom leaf) in the rubber plantations in Ka-Long Sot, Do Mai, Set Thwe, A-vit, Hnee Padaw, Young Doung, and Kwan Hlar Villages. But, after the NMSP has launched the drug operation, there are no more drug users in the rubber plantations. The use of drugs hasn’t been eliminated, but the number of drug users is declining. We already noticed that the entrance of A-vit Village is the main route for the drug trade. The civilians have shared this information with us and we arrest drug abusers there very often.”

While the NMSP’s operation to combat drug use in Mudon Township has been largely commendable, a robust solution to the drug issue must require the support and cooperation of all other groups, particularly that of the Burmese government.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News