Monthly Myanmar Drug Research Note covering September 2024

Disclaimer: This research note is prepared using open-source information collected by the researcher with the assistance of bots and OpenAI-powered tools. As an independent report based on publicly available data, some incidents may not be included. The aim of this note is to provide users with updates and insights into trends related to the inflow of precursor materials into Myanmar, as well as drug manufacturing, trafficking within Myanmar and along its borders, and routes via land and sea. For detailed information, please refer to organizations such as UNODC, CCDAC, and the Myanmar Police Force.

Domestic Incidents

Several drug-related incidents were reported across Myanmar in September 2024. This research note highlights key developments by state/region.

Kachin State

In Kachin State, clashes between the KIO/KIA-KPDF and the Tatmadaw/SAC were reported in Hsaingtaung Village, Hpakant Township, during the third week of September. Amidst the fighting, the KPDF accused drug users of being paid to burn down houses. Cross-referencing information suggests that over 100 houses were destroyed due to artillery fire and arson, though details remain scarce due to internet restrictions. In response, the KPDF arrested dozens of drug users and scavengers. The KIO/KIA spokesperson Naw Bu, in an interview with The Irrawaddy, stated that while some drug users might have been involved, it was unlikely that all were hired to carry out arson. Naw Bu added that the KIO/KIA has been running rehabilitation programs and conducting anti-narcotics operations in areas under their control.

Kayah State

In Kayah, the Karenni State Police (KSP), operating in resistance-forces-held areas, now manage 14 police stations, 16 police posts, and 5 township-level stations. In early September 2024, the Karenni State Interim Executive Council announced a special law enforcement operation targeting narcotics trafficking, sex slavery, weapons smuggling, misinformation, gender-based violence, online gambling, scam gangs, and unethical businesses and business activities not aligned with revolutionary principles.

Magway, Mandalay, and Yangon

In Natmauk Township, Magway, resistance forces arrested a drug dealer and seized opium and yaba methamphetamine pills. Meanwhile, in Yangon and Mandalay, the SAC/Tatmadaw launched an anti-narcotics campaign targeting bars, KTVs, and nightclubs, raiding several venues. SAC reported seizing over 980,000 yaba pills in Yangon during these operations.

Tanintharyi Region

A local resident told The Tanintharyi Times that drug trafficking and usage have surged in Kyunzun Township since the 2021 coup. In Palaw Township, resistance forces conducted anti-drug campaigns and handled over 30 drug cases between March and September 2024. Offenders with fewer than 10 yaba pills were treated as “users” and jailed for three months, while those found with 10 to 100 pills were considered “dealers” and sentenced to six months to a year. Those caught with 100 to 500 pills faced harsher penalties, including both jail time and fines.

Rakhine State

Amid heavy fighting between the SAC/Tatmadaw and the ULA/AA, drugs continue to flow into Rakhine via sea routes. On 23 September 2024, the SAC/Tatmadaw maritime forces seized over 1.4 million yaba pills from a motorboat in Kyaukphyu Township. Police also arrested two men in Seikgyikanaungto, Yangon Region, for smuggling drugs to Rakhine. Meanwhile, Narinjara News reported a rise in drug use among school dropouts and unemployed youth in the state, attributing the problem to the ongoing conflict and economic hardship. Yaba and cannabis are reportedly the most popular drugs among Rakhine youth.

Eastern Shan State

Two Myanmar citizens and a Thai national were arrested in Tachileik for manufacturing and trafficking kratom, an illegal substance in Myanmar, though it remains legal in Thailand. Despite crackdowns, drug trafficking persists in Eastern Shan State, with authorities seizing 100 kilograms of ICE (crystal methamphetamine), 40 kilograms of ketamine, and over 100,000 yaba pills in the reporting period. A village tract administrator from Mong Pu Aun Village Tract in Kengtung Township, was also arrested for trafficking ICE.

Northern Shan State

In Kyaukme Township, the PLSF/TNLA, which gained control after defeating Tatmadaw forces in August 2024, arrested over 180 individuals, including collaborators, looters, and drug addicts. The PLSF/TNLA police department sent drug addicts to six-month rehabilitation programs, with the possibility of longer-term detention in agricultural camps for repeat offenders.

International Incidents

Myanmar-India Border

Drug trafficking along the Myanmar-India border continued in 2024. On 8 September, Indian authorities in Mizoram reported seizing 93 kilograms of heroin and 409 kilograms of methamphetamine smuggled from Myanmar between January and August. On 16 September, another seizure of 40 kilograms of methamphetamine and less than 1 kilogram of heroin was made in Aizawl. These developments coincide with India’s ongoing border fencing project, which may lead to future tensions with local communities.

Myanmar-Bangladesh Border

Smuggling persists along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. On 16 September, the Bangladesh Border Guard Force arrested Nabi Hussain, leader of the Arakan Rohingya Army, for involvement in drug trafficking, dacoity, and murder. Criminal activity is expected to increase in the region as security conditions deteriorate.

Myanmar-Thailand Border

Drug trafficking across the Myanmar-Thailand border continues, with a notable shootout on 6 September in Mae Ai District between Thai special forces and drug syndicates, resulting in the seizure of 1.3 million yaba pills. Thai authorities reported that drug seizures in 2024 were four times higher than in 2023.

Lionfish-Mayag Ii Operation In The Golden Triangle Area

The “Lionfish-Mayag II” operation, led by South Korea and supported by Interpol, targeted the Golden Triangle—a major drug-trafficking hub covering Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. The 16-day operation, which ran from 22 July to 7 August 2024, resulted in the arrest of 29 individuals and the seizure of $1.04 billion worth of drugs, including 1.5 tons of ketamine.