“The seizure in Shan State, Myanmar one of the world’s biggest narcotics-producing regions put three major laboratories out of business”
The Myanmar military in the Shan State north of Chiang Rai Thailand has displayed sacks of heroin and methamphetamine from a huge drug seizure. Three major laboratories were put out of business in the infamous Golden Triangle.
Myanmar army operations around the Kutkai area of Shan State found the factories producing millions of meth pills as well as heroin and crystal meth, known as “Ya ice”.
Kutkai is near the Myanmar-China border, and about 400 kilometres north of Chiang Rai province.
Major General Tun Tun Nyi from the Myanmar army said his soldiers were on the ground in areas of the forest the police couldn’t reach. He said the army intends to stem the deluge of drugs from the infamous Golden Triangle.
Shan State is part of the Golden Triangle, an area of land cutting into Myanmar, Laos, China and Thailand. The Golden Triangle is virtually untroubled by authorities despite its prolific production.
The haul in Myanmar was worth nearly $64 million
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says that without tough action against dirty money coupled with better drug rehabilitation programs, the power of organised crime will become unmanageable for some ASEAN nations.
The drugs are trafficked south through Thailand, north into China and west towards Bangladesh. Drugs that have overwhelmed regional policing efforts. Drugs that have also seeded a crisis of addiction, corruption and money laundering.
On Feb 25th, Myanmar authorities seized large amount of crystal meth and meth pills in Shan states, Tachileik.
Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotic police seized 9 kilos of crystal meth from two cars. Police arrested three suspects in Tachileik township. Police, also seized a total of 202,000 meth pills in Minekok Township of Shan State
In June last year, the Myanmar military seized tens of thousands meth pills. Also precursor chemicals in Shan State’s Tachileik on the Myanmar-Chiang Rai border.
