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Thailand seals border with Myanmar to stem COVID-19, drug trafficking

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said on September 16 that the border checkpoints between Thailand and Myanmar are temporarily sealed in an attempt to curb possible COVID-19 infections and drug trafficking.
Thailand seals border with Myanmar to stem COVID-19, drug trafficking ảnh 1 Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan says on September 16 that the border checkpoints between Thailand and Myanmar are temporarily sealed in an attempt to curb possible COVID-19 infections and drug trafficking. (Photo: thethaiger.com)

Hanoi (VNA) - Thai Deputy Prime MinisterPrawit Wongsuwan said on September 16 that the border checkpoints betweenThailand and Myanmar are temporarily sealed in an attempt to curb possibleCOVID-19 infections and drug trafficking.

Prawit said that as the region is experiencingeconomic woes triggered by the pandemic, many were tempted to make big bucks bytrafficking drugs into Thailand, then destined to a third country.

Thai authorities seized 28 million speed pills and 428kg of crystal meth last month. Narcotics were smuggled from neighboringcountries through northern and western provinces to Thailand’s central region.

According to Thai Defence Ministry spokesman KongcheepTantrawanit, from January 1 to August 31, officials arrested 179,050 drugsuspects and seized 143 million methamphetamine pills and 5.4 tons of crystalmeth.

With regards to sealing the border between Thailandand Myanmar, Prawit said traders can still transport their goods and placedthem at the collection point at the border, without the need for physicalcontact./.
VNA
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