It has been confirmed Liu Ming, a notorious Chinese Gold Triangle drug dealer was shot dead by police Monday in a co-ordinated drug raid between China and Myanmar, in southwest China's border province of Yunnan.

The 43-year-old Liu was one of the most notorious drug dealers in the drug production center of the Golden Triangle.

Chinese police's investigation showed his involvement in the organization of drug operations since 1993 in which some 510 kg of heroin was smuggled from the drug region to China's inland provinces, such as Yunnan, Hunan and Guangdong,

Liu was shot on January 28 in a fierce gun-fight between the police and Liu's armed drug ring.

His body was identified during an autopsy jointly conducted by Chinese and Myanmar police.

A search of Liu's residency led to a seizure of an artillery, three machine guns, six long-barrelled guns and seven pistols.

Liu's name was added to the police in Yunnan's wanted list in 2001, when the police began working with their Myanmar counterparts in the search.

Hard blow to drug cartels

Sources with the Yunnan Police Bureau say that China has recently intensified anti-drug cooperation with Myanmar police in the northern part of Golden Triangle, which has helped dismantle a number of hidden drug-making workshops.

Sun Dahong, vice-director of the bureau, say that the coordinated police operation has dealt a hard blow to drug cartels in the Gold Triangle. Some have changed their headquarters or sought refuge elsewhere.

He says the cooperation has strengthened China and Myanmar in their commitment against drug trafficking.

( February 5, 2002)