(CNN) On Tuesday, Peruvian government officials donned hazmat suits to burn approximately 7 tons of illicit drugs.

This included 6,270 pounds of basic cocaine paste, 7,900 pounds of cocaine hydrochloride, the purified chemical, and around 3,000 pounds of marijuana. The rest was opiates and poppy.

This is the first illicit drug burning for the country's new government, according to a statement.

Peruvian Interior Minister Carlos Basombrío Iglesias was present for the event, walking with a face mask along rows and rows of plastic bags containing different varieties of drugs.

Peru, which produces coca and marijuana plants, is one of the main producers of cocaine.

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