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Burma-drugs : Burma rejects report
- Subject: Burma-drugs : Burma rejects report
- From: moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 20:03:00
Subject: Burma-drugs : Burma rejects report that drug suspect is in Rangoon
Burma-drugs : Burma rejects report that drug suspect
is in Rangoon
BANGKOK, March 26 (AFP) - Burma military
intelligence responded
indignantly Wednesday to a Thai newspaper report
that a suspect
wanted in connection with the largest ever US
seizure of heroin is
staying in Rangoon.
"Myanmar (Burma) has nothing to do with this
mess," the source
said in a fax received here.
The suspect, Li Yun-chung, alias Pongsak
Rogjanasakul, is
wanted in the United States for allegedly
masterminding heroin
shipments, including a record 486 kilogrammes
(1,069 pounds)
seized in California in 1991.
To the distress of US narcotics officials, he
was granted bail in
Thailand in February and failed to turn up in
court earlier this
month. Thai police reported that he has since
crossed into
northern Burma.
The Bangkok Post daily said Wednesday that Li
was now staying
in the Burmese capital with the knowledge of the
ruling military
junta and was unlikely to be returned to Thailand.
The report added that Li had once done business
with former
opium warlord Khun Sa.
Khun Sa surrendered to the Burmese government
early last year
and is reported to be living in Rangoon. The
junta has rejected US
calls for his extradition.
Commenting on the Post report, the military
intelligence source
said that "very conveniently and automatically
Myanmar (Burma)
becomes a scapegoat when there seems to be a
problem in the
world."
"The allegations are so ridiculous that Myanmar
does not think it is
worth refuting."
Burma's military government has been repeatedly
under fire,
particularly from the United States, for
allegedly failing to
clampdown on narcotics production and trafficking.
Burma is the world's leading producer of opium
and its derivative
heroin.
mp/jd