2024-11-23 17:00:00
Displaced people working in illegal poppy fields to earn a living during fighting between the Myanmar military and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) in Moe Bye in Pekon township, on the border of Karen State and southern Shan State. February 26, 2024 STR / AFP
The instability in Burma since the coup d’état of February 2021 and the expansion of the civil war have favored an increase in the production of opium, but also of synthetic drugs: Burma is at the heart of a new boom of crime in the Golden Triangle, this contiguous region between Burma, Laos and Thailand crossed by the Mekong River for nearly 100 kilometers.
Covid, then the coup d’état of 2021, both generating greater uncertainty for farmers, and finally, in Afghanistan, the strict ban by the Taliban on poppy cultivation in April 2022 contributed to the return of Burma at the forefront in terms of drug production: the country once again became the leading producer of opium in 2022, while reversing for the second year in a row the downward trend recorded since 2013. This was favored by the democratization of the country and an economic boom fueled by the influx of foreign investments.
This article is taken from “Special Issue Le Monde – Drug traffickers: their networks, their crimes, the response”November-December 2024, on sale at kiosks or online by going to on our store website.
In 2023, estimated cultivated areas increased by a further 18% compared to 2022, according to the report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) of December 2023. Dry opium production is estimated at 1,080 tonnes, or 36% more than in 2022 – and just 20 tonnes short of the historic record of 2001 (1,100 tonnes). tons). The gross value of the entire opiate economy – including both the value of domestic consumption and exports of opium and heroin – in Burma in 2023 is estimated in this report to be between 1 and 2, $5 billion, or approximately 2% to 4% of national GDP in 2022. UNODC experts, based in Bangkok, use satellite images as well as on-site inspections to arrive at these estimates.
Many clandestine laboratories
The majority of opium production, 88%, is concentrated in Shan State, the largest and most populous, with nearly six million inhabitants, of the seven Burmese states which form the multi-ethnic crown of the country. This is also where the majority of synthetic drugs from South-East Asia come from, which in turn irrigate all of Asia: drug seizures, the only way to measure the extent of this production dispersed in laboratories, reached a record in 2023; 169 tonnes of methamphetamine were seized in South-East Asia in 2023, and three quarters in Burma, Thailand and Laos, out of a total of 190 tonnes discovered in Asia. Shan State “remains the epicenter of methamphetamine production” for Asia, saysUNODCnoting that “However, the Burmese authorities have not identified any significant methamphetamine manufacturing facilities there since April 2020”.
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What factors contributed to Myanmar surpassing Afghanistan as the top opium producer in the world?
**Interview Simulation:**
**Host:** Welcome to our special segment on current global issues. Today, we’re discussing the alarming rise in opium production in Myanmar, which has recently overtaken Afghanistan as the world’s largest opium producer. Joining us is Dr. Emily Chang, an expert in Southeast Asian geopolitics and narcotics trade. Thank you for being here, Dr. Chang.
**Dr. Emily Chang:** Thank you for having me. It’s a critical issue that needs more attention.
**Host:** Could you explain what has led to Myanmar’s surge in opium production?
**Dr. Chang:** Certainly. The instability that arose after the military coup in February 2021 has been a significant factor. The civil unrest and ongoing conflicts have disrupted economic stability and forced many displaced individuals to seek alternative means of livelihood, including illegal poppy cultivation. The economic crisis, compounded by the fallout from COVID-19, has left many farmers with fewer choices [[1](https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/12/1144702)].
**Host:** That’s a bleak picture. What specific consequences has this had for the region?
**Dr. Chang:** Beyond the immediate economic impact, there are significant implications for security and health. The rise in opium cultivation contributes to drug trafficking and associated violence, especially in the Golden Triangle, a notorious area for narcotics production. The conflict between the Myanmar military and ethnic armed groups has further complicated matters, making it harder to manage and control the drug trade [[1](https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/12/1144702)].
**Host:** You mentioned that Myanmar is now the leading producer of opium. How does this production compare with historical figures?
**Dr. Chang:** Yes, it’s quite striking. According to recent UNODC reports, the area cultivated for opium increased by approximately 18% in 2023, bringing the total dry opium production close to 1,080 tonnes. This marks a significant increase—36% more than in 2022—and brings us very close to historical highs, just 20 tonnes shy of the record set in 2001 [[1](https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/12/1144702)].
**Host:** How does global policy respond to these trends? Are there effective measures being implemented?
**Dr. Chang:** Unfortunately, the responses have been fragmented. While international organizations are trying to provide aid and promote alternative livelihoods for farmers, the ongoing conflict complicates these efforts. Countries in the region are also grappling with the implications of this drug boom, from health crises linked to addiction to increased violence than we have witnessed [[1](https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/12/1144702)].
**Host:** Thank you, Dr. Chang. This is a complex and urgent topic that requires our attention. We’ll continue to follow developments in Myanmar closely. Thank you for your insights today.
**Dr. Chang:** Thank you for having me. It’s vital we keep this issue in the public discourse.