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Hamas policemen burning confiscated marijuana as Gazans look on. (Reuters) Last update - 18:38 09/12/2007 Hamas seizes hundreds of pounds of marijuana - and burns it in public By The Associated Press Tags: drugs, Hamas, Fatah  Plumes of marijuana-infused smoke rose above Gaza City as dozens of people looked on after Gaza's Hamas rulers announced a major drug bust Sunday, torching large sacks of confiscated drugs in a bonfire. Hamas displayed tables full of marijuana, neatly pressed blocks of hashish, small piles of cocaine and ecstasy pills at a news conference to show the results of a two-week-long drug raid, said Ihab Ghussain, spokesman for the Interior Ministry. He said the raid netted 115 arrests of dealers and growers, and more than 200 kilograms of marijuana, 340 blocks of hashish and 2,340 marijuana plants were confiscated. Advertisement Ghussain said some of the drugs, valued at $4 million, were smuggled through tunnels into Gaza from Egypt. "We have closed almost 90 percent of these tunnels," Ghussain said, but did not say how many tunnels the militant group found. Ghussain blamed the rival Palestinian group Fatah for allowing drugs to flourish in Gaza, and said they collaborated with Israel to destroy the area's youth. "We will not show mercy to anybody involved in the death trade," Ghussain said. The drugs were later burned in a square, with Hamas police emptying out large bags of marijuana onto a fire, and others tossing in hashish blocs. Police then ordered a crowd of onlookers to step away. Hamas violently seized control of Gaza last June after routing pro-Fatah forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas. The drug bust was Hamas' latest attempt to impose law and order in Gaza since the takeover. Although Gaza is a conservative Muslim society, drug use is common among young men. Already, alcohol, which is prohibited under Islam, is almost impossible to obtain in Gaza. Militants blew up Gaza's last bar in 2005. Related articles: Haaretz.com TV: Viagra in high demand as Gazans seek to forget distress IDF troops seize 81 kilos of marijuana on Egypt border Pro-marijuana party tells supporters: Pot smoking forbidden on Passover Bookmark to del.icio.us   Holocaust row U.K. Tory chief draws fire for calling school visits to Auschwitz a gimmick. 5 Stops in Galilee Rock hares, peach orchards, a taste of the past, and walking the Jesus trail.   1.   Israeli Dope Fiends Cry Terrorism @ Hamas 15:14  |  POP 09/12/07   2.   Good job Hamas. 15:14  |  Me 09/12/07   3.   HOW DID THEY BURN IT?? 15:20  |  Ian 09/12/07   4.   drought 15:25  |  underdog 09/12/07   5.   Sniff.... 15:54  |  yadu 09/12/07   6.   Israeli involvement. 16:17  |  Joe 09/12/07   7.   money for drugs 16:37  |  realist 09/12/07   8.   hamas dont want 16:38  |  matilda 09/12/07   9.   Perhaps 16:50  |  Nossen 09/12/07   10.   recreational relaxation 16:58  |  Fritz Teich 09/12/07   11.   Contact High 17:16  |  Jane 09/12/07   12.   Just wondering... 17:17  |  Joseph 09/12/07   13.   POP: Just a Dope 17:51  |  Tex 09/12/07   14.   Hamas 17:54  |  Michael 09/12/07   15.   Did Ramon and Olmert sneak some weeph? 17:55  |  robiin 09/12/07   16.   incorruptible legitimate resistance 18:48  |  nobodysacred 09/12/07   17.   Hamas = Hamash..... 18:50  |  Reemo 09/12/07   18.   POP this is shameful 18:50  |  H 09/12/07   19.   to Joseph: Just wondering... 18:55  |  nobosydacred 09/12/07   20.   to #12 realist 19:05  |  nobosysacred 09/12/07   21.   Close Call 19:06  |  MP 09/12/07   22.   Good for you Hamas! 19:22  |  lakshmi 09/12/07   23.   Now there`s a stress reliever!!! With bon fires like this, 19:29  |  Who needs Viagra? 09/12/07   24.   # 11, And they were all fed those yummy sufganiyots, 19:40  |  Virginia 09/12/07   25.   Drugs and no money 19:49  |  Mr. Smith 09/12/07   26.   Soft drugs and hard terrorism 19:57  |  Mark B. 09/12/07   27.   Wow! 21:02  |  Yosemite 09/12/07   28.   One thing most Israelis and Hamas agree on 01:32  |  newageblues 10/12/07   29.   You`re just an alcohol supremacist bigot, POP 01:37  |  newageblues 10/12/07   30.   Bob Marley would cry to see this mariujana burning like this!! 01:50  |  IL supporter 10/12/07   31.   #26, Mark B., I think you`re onto something 02:23  |  newageblues 10/12/07   32.   Public Pot Party 02:59  |  In the Know 10/12/07   33.   Where was the IDF? 03:13  |  Red bud 10/12/07   34.   newageblues 10:10  |  Bryant 10/12/07   35.   re "public Pot Party" 10:13  |  drama critic 10/12/07   36.   Funniest Story of the Day 10:21  |  Efox 10/12/07   37.   Don`t blame Israel 12:07  |  Godwin 10/12/07   38.   Well done Hamas!! 16:20  |  Silvienne 10/12/07   39.   large crowds gathering for marajuana burning 16:45  |  david 10/12/07   40.   What a Ingenious Plan to have Gazans 20:43  |  Gary Pineda 10/12/07   41.   Burning Mary 21:29  |  Albert Seligman 10/12/07   42.   Hamas crowds, Clinton & marijuana burning. 00:10  |  curious 11/12/07   43.   HAMAS SEIZES CONTROL 07:24  |  steve 11/12/07   44.   #7 realist great observation 13:02  |  petra 24/02/08

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