THE Ministry of Home Affairs has issued rules aimed at preventing chemicals imported for use in the industrial sector from being used to make illicit drugs.

“The rules will ensure that precursor chemicals imported legally for industrial use are not diverted to illegal drug production,” the ministry’s Police Lieutenant Colonel Wa Tin told Myanmar Times.

The rules, issued on July 2, require those seeking to import or export precursor chemicals to obtain prior approval from the Supervisory Committee for Controlled Precursor Chemical. The committee, formed in 1998, is headed by the deputy director general of the Myanmar Police Force, Police Brigadier General Zaw Win.

Under the rules, district and township committees for drug abuse control will inspect businesses involved in selling and distributing the chemicals, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Wa Tin, who is also the secretary of the supervisory committee.

The businesses are also required to advise the committees of any damage or loss of precursor chemicals during transportation, he said.

“The use of precursor chemicals in industries has been increasing with the development of industries and factories,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Wa Tin.

He said the chemicals are mainly used to make batteries and paint and in the printing and mining industries. Most of the chemicals are imported from Singapore, Thailand, China and India.

The rules apply to 25 precursor chemicals designated by the Ministry of Health in 2002.

“We did not have separate rules applying to precursor chemicals used in industry and took several years to draft them in order to comply with the United Nations convention against illicit traffic on narcotic and psychotropic substances,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Wa Tin said.

He said Myanmar has been a party to the convention since 1991.

Seizures of precursor chemicals smuggled into Myanmar for use in making narcotics had declined in the past four years because of cooperation with neighbouring countries, Police Lieutenant Colonel Wa Tin said.