¡¡¡¡YANGON, February 20 (Xinhuanet) -- The Myanmar authorities exposed a total of 2,933 narcotic-drug-related cases in 2001, seizing 1,770.76 kilograms (kg) of opium and 96.74 kg heroin among others, according to the latest figures of the Myanmar Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control.

¡¡¡¡The seizure, made by army units, police and the customs, also includes 6.52 kg morphine, 284.38 kg marijuana and 3,922.16 kg ephedrine as well as 759.63 liters phensedyl and 32.438 million tablets of stimulant drugs. The amount of stimulants seized registered the highest confiscated since 1996 when the country began a crack-down on such drugs.

¡¡¡¡A total of 4,256 people, including 3,430 men and 826 women, were punished for being involved in the cases, the sources said.

¡¡¡¡Meanwhile, 408.22 hectares of illegal poppy fields in Shan, Kachin states and Magway division in the country were destroyed bythe authorities till the end of January during the 2001-02 poppy cultivation season, it added.

¡¡¡¡Following the declaration of its Mongla region in eastern Shan state as an opium-free zone in April 1997, Myanmar began in 1999 implementing a 15-year drug eradication plan in three phases each lasting five years. Enditem

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