Myanmar, amidst ongoing conflict and instability since the military takeover in 2021, is grappling with challenges in curbing opium poppy cultivation, according to the junta’s Home Affairs Minister. Despite efforts, there has been a slight increase in illegal cultivation, making Myanmar the world’s largest producer of opium in 2023. Ethnic armed groups are implicated in manufacturing synthetic drugs using imported chemicals, exacerbating the country’s drug production and trafficking issues amid regional turmoil and local resource conflicts.
Myanmar Struggles with Surging Opium Poppy Cultivation Amid Conflict
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