Buthidaung, Arakan State: The Department of Narcotic Control (DNC) arrested a man in possession of 750 Yaba tablets in Buthidaung Town, Arakan State, Burma on November 24, says our correspondent. 

The arrested was identified as Saw Hla Maung (37) belonging to Ward No.2 in Buthidaung Town.

Acting on a tip-off, at about 10 p.m. a seven-member DNC led by Win Naing, the Sergeant and the deputy commander of DNC raided Saw Hla Maung's house and seized the tablets.

They also seized 300 grammes of heroin, 300 flying golden fish cheroots filled with marijuana powder which were ready to be smuggled to a neighboring country.

The seized goods were worth an estimated 4 million kyat.

According to the statement of the detained, Than Zaw Htun, the Sergeant and the deputy-in-charge of DNC in Buthidaung Town has been involved in narcotic business for long. As a result, Than Zaw Htun was brought to the Western Command Commander's office in Ann Town, in Arakan State for further interrogations, according to official sources.  

Some officers have been involved in narcotic business since 1988, after the democracy uprising. Mostly Nasaka officers, army officers and the officers of Military Intelligence have been involved in the narcotic business, according to an aide of Nasaka.

Law enforcement agencies need to rigorously and relentlessly combat each and every individual and organization associated with trafficking and selling Yaba and heroine inland. Border security is to be tightened and regularly scrutinized in order to ensure that free-flow of drugs inside and outside of the country is halted, said a former police officer in Maungdaw.

Media has a very important role to play. Television, radio, newspapers, magazines need to regularly publicize the dangers of Yaba to the extent that it becomes manifest to current and  potential users that Yaba is no less than a life-taker, said N elite in Buthidaung town.