TNAG-1709-FCO40-2384-Hong-Kong-narcotics-offences-and-drug-trafficking-1988 — Page 60

SOUTHEAST ASIA

-51-

BURMA

Summary: Most Golden Triangle opium is grown within the borders of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (SRUB). Much of that production is in areas controlled by anti-government groups who use the drug trade to finance their insurgencies, greatly complicating the SRUB'S efforts to suppress narcotics. Opium production in have been at least 845 metric tons. destroying about 40,000 acres in its eradication operations. The Government aerial eradication effort in the 1987-88 fixed-wing spray aircraft supplied by INM.

1986/87 appears to The SRUB reported manual and aerial plans an expanded season, using five End summary.

Available information indicates that opium planting in the northern and northeastern Shan State

in Burma Communist Party-controlled areas increased in the 1986/87 season. The confluence of favorable weather, poor economic conditions, increased planting, more equipment and labor intensive cultivation methods and centralized control by the BCP leads to the conclusion cited in INM testimony on June 30, 1987 that opium production in Burma will meet or exceed 845 metric tons from cultivation of 258,000 acres.

New Policies: For the first time in memory of U.S. officials, the SRUB in May used the National Security Law to jail two major traffickers who could not be linked directly to narcotics-related offenses but who were known to traffic in heroin and acetic anhydride.

Status of Eradication: Despite an early cessation of aerial eradication due to the need to counter a major BCP offensive in the northern Shan state, the SRUB reported following opium eradication for the 1986/87 growing season:

Southern Shan State:

Eastern Shan State:

Northern Shan State:

1,409.4 acres (manual eradication)

13,045.0 acres (aerial spraying)

2,262.3 acres (manual eradication)

9,585.0 acres (aerial spraying) 13,863.5 acres (manual eradication)

the

TOTAL:

The total represents

40,225.2 acres (approximately)

a 16 percent increase

increase in reported

eradication over the 1985/86 growing season.

Page 60Page 61