Destruction of the 55,941 million Baht confiscated narcotics by the Ministry of public Health

          Ministry of Public Health organized 50^th Destruction of Confiscated Narcotics on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, worth over 55,941 million baht. Most of them were methamphetamine/amphetamine, ice/crystal methamphetamine and heroin. Narcotics Control Division also together destroyed 1,187 kilograms of Psychotropic substance.    

           June 26^th, 2020 at the Utility and Environment Management Centre, Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya province, Mr.Anutin Charnvirakul Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health was the president of 50^th Destruction of Confiscated Narcotics on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, held on every June 26 ^th.   The ceremony is participated and witnessed by all the distinguishes, for example, Dr. Sukhum Karnchanapimai Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health, diplomats, executives from public and private sectors, National Police Agency, Office of Narcotics Control and Prevention, Royal Thai Army, Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate, and mass media.

For this year, The narcotics to be destroyed consisted of confiscated illicit drugs from the holdings of the Thai Food and Drug Administration, weighs over 25,301 kilograms, from 2,751 cases, worth over 55,941million baht, including Methamphetamine/Amphetamine, over 18,303 kilograms (203 million pills) worth over 40,674 million Baht, ice/crystal methamphetamine weighs 5,878 kilograms worth over 12,932 million Baht, heroin weighs over 541 kilograms worth over 2,301 million Baht. Apart from that, there are also MDMA, MDA, MDE approximately weigh 0.026 kilograms (107 pills), Opium weighs over 9 kilograms and cocaine weighs over 10 kilograms to be destroyed. Other confiscated narcotics weigh over 557 kilograms. On this occasion Narcotics Control Division, Food and Drug Administration also commits the destruction of Psychotropic substance weigh over 1,187 kilograms from 724 cases. Department of Medical Science, Scientific Crime Detection Center 1 Prathumthani and Central Police Forensic Science Division also take part in destroying container and packaging used in confiscated narcotics.

All of the confiscated drugs will be destructed by Pyrolytic Incineration method with the heat temperature over 850 degree which will cause rapid distruction of molecules into carbon.  For this year, the destruction days will be divided into 3 days; on 26^th June 2020 with 8,466 kilograms, on 13^th July 2020 with 8,275 kilograms, and on 14^th July 2020 with 8,558 Kilograms.

          The statistics of narcotics destructions between 1977-2020, a total of 50 times, was over 170,545 kilograms, worth over 273,331 million baht. methamphetamine/amphetamine were destroyed at the highest followed by Opium and other narcotics, Heroine and Ecstasy.  

          Mr.Anutin Charnvirakul Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health said that the Ministry of Public Health is responsible for rehabilitation, healing the addicts and preventing them from re-addiction again. In the year 2020, the ministry aims to open for 210,982 drug addicts, categorized to 113,382 voluntarily, 56,600 entitled, 26,000 punished, 15,000 behavior control. From the result of performance from 1^st October 2019 - 15^th June 2020, the 128,520 addicts were brought to and participated in the mentioned program which is approximately about 60.92 percentages, divided into 48,479 voluntarily, 66,253 entitled, and 13,788 punished. All of the hospitals under supervision of the ministry of public health over Thailand are now ready to serve and advise everyone leading to the drugs prevention international standard. For more information regarding the drugs abstinence and rehabilitation, please feel free to contact the hotline 1165 for 24 hrs.

 **************************** June 26, 2020