New data from the United Nations reveals Myanmar is at the center of Asia’s illegal drug trade. Opium poppy farming rose 17% in the past year, covering over 53,000 hectares - the highest in a decade. The country claimed the world’s top opium producer spot in 2023, overtaking Afghanistan. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also reported record meth seizures of 236 tons in East and Southeast Asia in 2024, with most production believed to come from Myanmar. Inshik Sim, UNODC research officer, said, "I wouldn't really say Myanmar as a country is a supplier, but there [are] criminal groups that are engaging in producing and trafficking this meth and heroin." Myanmar’s Shan state is a key area where warlords back drug cartels, many run by Chinese groups. The 2021 military coup and civil war worsened conditions, helping drug trade growth. Sim explains, "Because of the conflict, there is some need for people to raise money, whether it's armed groups or farmers, because the conflict disrupts the economy… And I think opium poppy cultivation is one area that we can see." Thailand struggles with this boom, seizing a record 1 billion meth tablets last year. Thanapon Thanikkun, Thailand’s Narcotics Control Board intelligence head, warned: "These numbers are a clear warning that the drug problem is not only ongoing but expanding now rapidly." Ethnic groups in Shan state depend on drug sales for money and weapons. Khun Oo from the Pa-O Youth Organization said, "They [armed groups] need guns, they need … human resources and money, so this is the way that they can get it, from the drug trafficking." Farmers face limited choices, with drug traffickers offering double the payment for opium. Myanmar’s heroin and meth travel widely in Asia and beyond, with recent seizures in India, Nigeria, and Europe pointing to new markets. Sim noted, "However, we see that more westward flow happens as well."