The high value of meth trade can trigger more criminal activities (Image via: TalkingDrugs)

Asia's Meth Trade Value is Increasing

Kirana Chandra Mumpuni Budiana
Business & Industry
Plant and Chemical
Jul 21, 2019
2767
United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported recently that methamphetamine trade in Asia-Pacific market can be worth between $30.3 billion and $61.4 billion. That meth trade value is higher than the one in 2013, which was estimated $15 billion. The new numbers aren’t only for the East and Southeast Asia, but also for Australia, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. UNODC mentioned factors that make the meth trade value is increasing, which are the widely distributed graft, weak law enforcement, and the lack of border controls. What’s more a shame is the amount of bribes received by border controls officers equals to the payment in official bureaucratic. However, the most fatal thing is the increasing of meth trade value will trigger more crime activities from drug dealers.

According to UNODC, so far the meth cartels are known based in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Thailand. Then, the production for most of the meth is in northern Myanmar in industrial-scale labs. The last move is the criminals distribute it far away to many places, including Japan and New Zealand. The data showed more than 12 million users in East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand consumed about 320 tonnes of pure methamphetamine last year. 120 tonnes of them were seized by law enforcement. In advanced countries, crystal meth is mostly consumed by middle-class party people. Meanwhile, in poor countries, people consume it as tablet mixed with caffeine. Such combination is expected to help them cope with work pressure in factories and construction sites.

Another factor that creates the high value of meth trade is the criminals sell it with cheap price. It’s the common knowledge in economy if price is the indicator of supply. The cheap price just shows the high amount of supply is possibly exist. The countries such as Thailand, Laos, China, and Myanmar, are generally received cheap pills in drug trafficking. Then the richer markets such as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea are usually the receiver of higher purity crystal meth. The growing of drug trafficking in Southeast Asia becomes the most concern. The reason is the existence of Myanmar's lawless Shan State. It had established as the region's meth factory. The lawless nature in Shan State enables meth makers to import its ingredients easily. It’s also easy to do money laundry without a trace there. The big amount of investment on the drug in Southeast Asia doesn’t help the situation.

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/18/asia/asia-methamphetamine-intl-hnk/index.html?no-st=1563695577

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