11.   But U.S. narcotics officials remain skeptical, citing the continued existence of powerful drug lords in border areas of Myanmar.

12.   Jamaica and Barbados have resisted signing treaties that would allow U.S. narcotics officials to pursue drug smugglers in their waters.

13.   Narcotics officials also say they have started a monthly series of destruction of seized drugs.

14.   Pakistan is considered the main transit route for heroin produced from Afghan opium, according to narcotics officials here, who refuse to be identified by name.

15.   Synthetic drugs manufactured in Russia are flooding the country and drug-related crimes are increasing, a Russian narcotics official said Wednesday.

16.   Thai narcotics control officials said the seized heroin appeared to originate in northern Thailand or neighboring Burma.

17.   The top State Department narcotics official said he believed the MEM could eventually replace certification.

18.   Thirty percent of all illegal drugs reaching the U.S. mainland pass through Puerto Rico, according to U.S. narcotics officials.

19.   U.S. narcotics officials have long alleged that the Mansurs have ties to South American drug lords.

20.   Abuse of synthethic drugs is rocketing in southeast Asia and Golden Triangle traffickers are increasingly turning to amphetamine production, a senior UN narcotics official said here Tuesday.