Monday, November 2, 2009

Heroin from Burma seized on border

 
by Nyein Chan
Monday, 02 November 2009 18:52

Dhaka (Mizzima) – A kilogram of Burmese heroin was seized by Bangladeshi police on the Burma-Bangladesh border, according to drug enforcement officers.

A kilogram of heroin believed to be coming from Burma was seized from a Dhaka bound bus originating from Taknaf on October 25.

“The heroin was hidden under the driver’s seat. The owner could not be traced,” an official at the Kho Tone checkpoint, 20 kilometres from Cox’s Bazaar, told Mizzima.

The heroin seized is worth Bangladeshi Taka 700,000 (Burmese Kyat 10.5 million).

Currently three types of heroin are being smuggled into Bangladesh. They are opium grown in the triangle area of Bangladesh-Burma-India border. Medium quality heroin is smuggled from India and the best quality heroin comes from Burma, Drug Enforcement agency sources in Cox’s Bazaar said.

A motor schooner carrying edible oil and diesel being smuggled from Bangladesh to Burma was also seized in Naf River near Narzi Ward, Taknaf, eyewitnesses said.

The Teknaf based 42nd BDR seized the contraband goods accounting for over 70 drums of edible oil and about 2,000 litres of diesel.

Bangladesh has banned export of fertilizers, diesel oil, edible oil and some medicines to Burma to avoid shortage in the country.