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Hamas shows off drugs haul, then burns marijuana
12-10-`07 | AFP

GAZA CITY (AFP) — Hamas on Sunday showed off dozens of packages of illegal drugs it said it had seized in the Gaza Strip before burning the entire stash -- including marijuana -- in front of a crowd of journalists.

"The general authority for combating drugs has arrested 115 people since June 15, including some of the biggest drug dealers" in Gaza, Hamas spokesman Ihad al-Ghussein said at the press conference.

The Islamist movement seized control of the impoverished territory in mid-June, routing forces loyal to secular Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas after a week of deadly factional fighting.

Standing in front of tables with what he said were dozens of tightly wrapped sacks of marijuana and several bags of cocaine and pills, Ghussein claimed the contraband had a street value of more than three million dollars.

"Most of the drug smuggling is done through the tunnels from Egypt. The national security forces along with the general authority for combating drugs were able to uncover 90 percent of these and close them," Ghussein said.

Immediately after the conference a group of black-clad members of the Hamas-run security forces set fire to the seized goods in an empty lot, careful to keep the few dozen onlookers from getting too close to the billowing smoke.

Since Gaza assumed control in Gaza it has carried out a major public relations campaign highlighting its success in bringing security and stability to the territory that saw months of factional fighting and general lawlessness before the takeover.

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