The Challenge
The illicit drug market in Southeast Asia is undergoing a profound change associated with a steep increase in the manufacture of synthetic drugs especially methamphetamine, particularly in northern Myanmar. Organized crime groups operating in the region are manufacturing and trafficking both crystalline and tablet methamphetamine for East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and increasingly South Asia. Seizures of both forms of the drug are being made in quantities unimaginable a decade ago, with 126 tons seized in 2018 in Southeast Asia and its neighbouring East Asia, making the region as the largest methamphetamine market in the world.
Our Work
UNODC works with governments and regional partners to address the challenges related to drugs and precursor chemicals in the region.
