YANGON, February 15 (Xinhuanet) -- a total of 661 hectares of 
illegal poppy fields in northern Shan state of Myanmar were 
destroyed by the authorities from January 23 to February 5 this 
year, according to the Myanmar Central Committee for Drug Abuse 
Control Friday.
   The poppy fields, destroyed by a combined team comprising 
police, the special anti-drug squad and local people, were located
in 19 villages in Laukkai district, Kokang region of the state.
   In the fiscal year of 2000-01, the Myanmar authorities 
destroyed 9,317 hectares of illegally-grown poppy fields in the 
country.
   Meanwhile, a combined team comprising the local army unit, 
intelligence and police force raided two opium refineries in 
Lashio township of the same state on January 29 this year, 
according to another official report.
   During the raid, the authorities confiscated 18 big tents, 42.
72 kilograms (kg) of heroin, 3 kg of powdered morphine, 383.18 kg 
of raw opium, 57 liters of heroin liquid and five kinds of 
chemical precursors among others used in refining drugs.  Enditem