Burma, also known as Myanmar, recently surpassed Afghanistan to become the leading producer of opium in the world. This increase in opium output is a direct result of the country’s communist party, the Communist Party of Burma (CPB), following in the footsteps of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which used drug production as a means of supporting its military.
After the CPB learned from the CCP’s method of “feeding the army by producing drugs”, opium production in Burma surged by 36 percent, reaching 1,080 tons. This is the highest level of production since 2001. Since the military overthrew the elected government in February 2021, the opium cultivation area in Burma has increased by 33 percent, currently covering 47,000 hectares. The production has been concentrated in the northern Shan State border area, followed by Chin State and Kachin State.
The widespread production of opium in Burma has caused harm not only to its own citizens but also to millions of people across Asia, particularly in China, where millions are struggling with opium addiction. The CPB embraced this strategy as a lifeline after struggling to obtain financial resources from the impoverished Burmese people.
Once the CPB recalled the CCP’s approach to the opium trade, the military regions in Burma quickly became involved in the cultivation and production of opium. Enormous profits quickly followed, mainly through opium tax revenue. The industry continued to grow until it was eventually taken over by the Wa State Army, turning the region into one of the largest heroin production and distribution centers in the world. The turmoil and danger created by the opium trade effectively turned Burma into an illicit drug kingdom. The drugs also flowed into other countries, most notably China, with more than 90 percent of the heroin and methamphetamine seized in China in 2014 originating from the “Golden Triangle” area.