Southwest China's Yunnan Province has been cracking down on drug use and smuggling in the border region, said a local official.

Yunnan shares the border with Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar and has long been a gateway for drugs from the notorious Golden Triangle.

To change the situation, the province has decided to expand 13 rehabilitation centers, making them able to accommodate an additional 15,000 drug addicts, according to Li Hanbai, deputy governor of Yunnan. Li, who is also director of the provincial drug control committee, said all the centers will be open by Nov. 30, 2005.

The province took in 23,484 drug addicts at its existing numerous rehabilitation centers or therapy communities in the first four months of the year.

In the meantime, Yunnan has tightened publicity and education in drug control. In addition to establishment of a special working group, the province has set up a news briefing system and promulgated a set of provisional measures about awarding those who report crimes related to drug abuse.

Acting on tips provided, the police have dealt with 103 narcotics-related crimes, detained 132 suspects and confiscated 92. 3 kg of drugs since late March when the provisional measures were announced.

Yunnan has also increased cooperation with the three border countries in combating drug trade, trafficking and poppy growing.

By May 20, local police had detained 10 drug traders and destroyed 112.5 kg of drugs in operations carried out in cooperation with Myanmar and Laos. They also seized 7.16 kg of heroin and uprooted 58.87 hectares of poppy.

According to Li, the province altogether handled 5,786 drug- related cases from January to April, up 1.9 percent from the same period last year. In these cases, 2,905 kg of drugs, plus 12.87 tons of chemicals that can be easily made into drugs were stopped, with detainment of 6,817 suspects, said Li.

Source: Xinhua