The Facts
According to an annual survey published on Thursday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), opium farming has sharply increased in Myanmar since the military took control of the country in 2021. This reverses a consistent drop that occurred between 2014 and 2020.
In 2022, opium production in the country totaled close to 795 metric tons, a nine-year high that nearly double the cultivation of the previous year at 423 metric tons.
The Spin
Narrative A
Myanmar carried out at least 37 special operations to combat drugs last year, seizing tons of narcotic and opioid drugs as well as chemical precursors, and anti-drug operations will be accelerated this year in accordance with new policies. Fighting drugs, however, is a monumental task and there is still a lot to do despite the cooperation of the armed forces.
Narrative B
Myanmar's military coup in 2021 has created the ideal conditions for illicit drug production to escalate, as the formal economy has collapsed and the country is embroiled in unrest and violence. The military's regime lacks law enforcement capacity to tackle drugs, and rebel groups and pro-military militias have intensified drug operations to finance the conflict.
