Myanmar’s civil war is reshaping Asia’s narcotics landscape — and the impact is being felt across the world. A new UNODC report reveals that opium cultivation in Myanmar has surged 17% in a single year, reaching 53,000 hectares, the largest area under poppy farming since 2013. Combined with record-breaking methamphetamine production, Myanmar has now emerged as the global centre of illicit drugs, overtaking Afghanistan after its 2023 Taliban crackdown.
What’s happening in Myanmar is not just a drug problem — it is a full-blown geopolitical crisis.
Myanmar Becomes the World’s No. 1 Opium Producer
With Afghanistan’s poppy fields wiped out, Myanmar’s criminal syndicates, militias, and ethnic armies have seized the opportunity. Massive drug complexes hidden in rebel-controlled areas of Shan, Wa, and Kachin states are now producing heroin and synthetic drugs on an industrial scale.
Authorities across East and Southeast Asia seized 236 tonnes of methamphetamine in 2024, much of it traced directly to Myanmar. UNODC officials stress that “Myanmar” is a misleading label — the real power lies with Chinese-backed crime networks, well-armed militias, and local warlords operating beyond any state control.
Golden Triangle: The Global Headquarters of Meth
The notorious Golden Triangle — the meeting point of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos — has evolved from a heroin zone into the world’s busiest meth factory. Sophisticated labs run by Chinese cartels churn out high-purity meth, flooding markets from Bangkok to Sydney, Tokyo to Lagos.
With Myanmar’s military unable to reclaim these regions, the drug economy has become a parallel state.
War, Poverty, and Drugs: A Perfect Storm
Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s economy has collapsed, law enforcement has crumbled, and millions have been pushed into poverty. Armed groups rely on drug trafficking for weapons and supplies. Farmers, desperate to survive, are turning to poppy cultivation — often earning double pre-coup profits.
“The conflict has created a perfect storm,” UNODC researcher Inshik Sim warns. “Drugs now fund the war — and the war fuels drug production.”
Asia Feels the Heat: Thailand Hit the Hardest
Thailand seized one billion meth tablets in 2024 — the highest in its history — turning border provinces into frontline battle zones against traffickers using roads, rivers, and ports for rapid transport.
A Global Crisis in the Making
Myanmar’s meth and heroin are no longer regional issues. Shipments have been intercepted in Europe, Africa, Japan, Australia, and India’s Northeast. Analysts warn that unless the political crisis is addressed, Southeast Asia may face the worst drug epidemic in its history.
