How Myanmar Became the World’s Opium Capital After Military Coup

Myanmar, gripped by extreme turmoil since the military coup in February 2021, has become a hub for various crimes. Notably, the country has emerged as the world’s largest supplier of opium, with a significant increase in drug production.

A report released on Thursday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals that Myanmar’s opium poppy cultivation has risen for three consecutive years, maintaining record-high levels. The UNODC explained that these results indicate the country has entered an initial stabilization phase of high cultivation, solidifying Myanmar’s position as the world’s leading opium supplier. However, the area planted with opium poppies decreased by about 4%, from 47,100 hectares (116,000 acres) last year to 45,200 hectares (111,000 acres) this year.

Last year, Myanmar surpassed Afghanistan as the world’s largest opium producer. While Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban implemented poppy cultivation as part of their “illegal drug eradication” efforts, Myanmar’s opium production has surged amid the chaos of civil war. Opium, derived from the opium poppy, is further processed into heroin, fueling the global drug trade.

Masood Karimipour, the UNODC’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, warned that the ongoing serious conflicts within Myanmar, combined with Afghanistan’s poppy cultivation ban, are reshaping the global opium supply chain. This significantly increases the likelihood of expanded opium production in Myanmar over the coming years.

Within Myanmar, the northeastern Shan State, bordering China, Thailand, and Laos, accounts for 88% of the country’s opium poppy cultivation, making it the largest production area. The region known as the “Golden Triangle,” which borders Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, is recognized as a major global drug production hub. Karimipour emphasized that poppy cultivation in the Golden Triangle remains at high levels while synthetic drug production is steadily increasing. He stressed the need for decisive action before the situation becomes uncontrollable.