Authorities struggling to tackle Myanmar's $40b drug market
In the first three months of this year, border forces in Bangladesh and Myanmar seized nearly 9 million methamphetamine pills.
The Myanmar government is burning seized drugs each year, saying narcotics have stolen their country's "dignity".
Myanmar authorities estimate the regional methamphetamine market is worth $40 billion a year, as synthetic drug usage and manufacturing has soared in recent years.
Yaba, a low-grade methamphetamine mixed with caffeine, is the drug of choice in Southeast Asia and police have stepped up efforts to prevent more people to become additives.
Officials said the situation has been getting worse since a violent military crackdown against Rohingya Muslim started last year.
"If we are looking at for instance, the trafficking of yaba to Bangladesh it has always been there, but since the conflict, it is getting a lot worse,” said Troels Vester, UN's Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
TRT World’s Libby Hogan reports from Yangon in Myanmar.
This year 2018 is shaping up to be a record year for seizures of yaba and crystal meth.
It started last year, when 700,000 Rohingya were forced to flee from their homes because of a violent military crackdown.
Criminal gangs in Myanmar exploited the chaos to traffic more drugs across the border into Bangladesh.
In the first three months of this year, border forces in Bangladesh and Myanmar seized nearly 9 million methamphetamine pills.
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