YANGON, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities ceremonially burned 25 kinds of seized narcotic drugs in Yangon on Monday to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
According to Yangon Region Police Chief Win Naing, the 25 kinds of narcotic drugs put on fire included those confiscated in Yangon, Tanintharyi, Bago, Ayeyawaddy, Rakhine, Mon and Kayin regions and states as well as Number 1 Border Guard Force and expressway security force.
The seized drug included 7.05 kg of opium, 0.97 kg of heroin and 74 million stimulant tablets, among others, he said.
In the fiscal year 2016-17, authorities punished 1,500 drug offenders in connection with 981 related cases in accordance with law, he added.
The drug destruction ceremony was attended by the speaker of Yangon Region Parliament and the regional government officials as well as representatives of the UN Office of Drug and Crime (UNODC) and police officials of the National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC) of China.
Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs Kyaw Swe vowed in his message on the day to step up drug prevention and services, calling on people to listen to the concern and need of youth and support their development and health by reducing drug abuse.
On the same occasion last year, Myanmar authorities burned 19.7 million U.S. dollars worth of seized narcotic drugs in Yangon.
The country has extended its drug elimination plan from 2014-2015 to 2018-2019 to fight against drug.
Myanmar is known as Southeast Asia's largest poppy growing country and the world's second largest after Afghanistan.
