Pubdate: Wed, 22 Jun 2005
Source: China Daily (China)
Contact:   http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/911
Section: Page 2
Author: Wu Chong
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/golden+triangle

ANTI-DRUG FORCES HIT ICE HARD

KUNMING: China's anti-drug frontier, Yunnan Province, said it had
witnessed a dangerous surge in "ice" trafficking in the first five
months of this year.

Between January and May province authorities seized 62.1 per cent more
methamphetamine, or "ice," than in the same period last year, the
local narcotics control commission said on Monday.

By comparison, the amount of heroin seized fell by 28.5 per cent
during the same period year-on-year.

Despite the fall, heroin still accounts for most of the drug
trafficking in Yunnan, which borders the infamous Golden Triangle
where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet.

"Making ice from chemicals takes less effort than growing poppies to
extract heroin," said Sun Dahong, secretary-general of the Yunnan
Provincial Narcotics Control Commission. "Plus, a large number of
Chinese youngsters think ice is less addictive and can be easier to
quit than heroin. They provide a large market for ice
traffickers."

Also, an increasing outflow of precursor chemicals being shipped from
Guangdong, Zhejiang and Fujian provinces via Yunnan into neighbouring
drug producers in the Golden Triangle has raised the production of
ice, which is afterwards smuggled back into China through Yunnan, he
added.

The local drug-control watchdog said that since March it has cracked
down on ice trafficking in local public entertainment places such as
nightclubs. A new regulation issued in March says that businesses
where drug dealing is found will be forever deprived of operating licences.

"We will step up efforts to curb the smuggling of precursor chemicals
as well as increasing education for young people about the dangers of
ice," Sun said.

Yunnan has handled 151,000 cases and seized 131.7 tons of drugs,
mostly heroin, since 1982, when it established its professional
anti-drug squad.

Last year, it seized more than 10 tons of drugs, its biggest-ever haul
for a single year.

68,000 drug abusers

A provincial investigation last year showed the province had more than
68,000 drug abusers, accounting for 8.6 per cent of the total
registered nationwide.

"Most illegal drugs in Yunnan are trafficked from bordering countries,
by people operating beyond our reach," Sun said.

"That has become the biggest challenge for the province's control of
narcotics."

Statistics show about 80 per cent of the heroin in China is smuggled
from the Golden Triangle area.

The province is strongly recommending that as well as continuous
multi-national co-operation against drug trafficking, neighbouring
countries should make a stronger commitment to eradicating the
cultivation of drug crops such as opium poppies and marijuana.

"We have had a promise from the United Wa State Army in Myanmar to
prohibit the cultivation of poppies from June 26," Sun said.

"We did a field investigation there and feel optimistic. But whether
the prohibition can stand in the long term is still a question."

In the past 25 years, Yunnan has dedicated 500 million yuan (US$60
million) to helping former drug producers along the border develop
alternative crops, providing farmers with 4 hectares for legal produce.

"Nearly 3 hectares of opium poppies could have produced about 40 tons
of heroin, almost equal to the total quantity of drugs we seized
between 2001 and 2004," Sun said.

However, he added, poppies are still grown in 6 hectares near the
border areas.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin