The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has warned of a significant rise in drug production and trafficking in the Golden Triangle region where Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet, as per Al Jazeera.
A new UNODC report reveals a record 236 tonnes of methamphetamine were seized in East and Southeast Asia last year — a 24 percent increase from the previous year.
Thailand led the region by seizing 130 tonnes, becoming the first country to intercept over 100 tonnes in a single year. However, trafficking routes from Myanmar’s conflict-ridden Shan State are rapidly expanding into Laos and Cambodia.
“The 236 tonnes represent only what was seized; far more methamphetamine is entering the market,” said Benedikt Hofmann, acting regional representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific at UNODC. He highlighted that despite strong law enforcement efforts, production and trafficking from the Golden Triangle have reached unprecedented levels.
The ongoing civil war in Myanmar since mid-2021 has further fueled the drug trade’s growth. The report notes a surge in drug flows not only throughout East and Southeast Asia but increasingly into South Asia, especially Northeast India.
UNODC analyst Inshik Sim pointed out that trafficking routes connecting Myanmar to Cambodia through Laos are expanding rapidly. Maritime routes linking Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines also play a growing role, with Sabah in Malaysia acting as a major transit hub.
The report additionally highlights a regional rise in the use of methamphetamine and ketamine. Interestingly, some countries—including Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand—are seeing an increase in older drug users, while younger user numbers have declined, a trend that requires further study.
