Video emerged Friday showing hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of heroin, methamphetamine and other confiscated illegal drugs being set on fire in Burma .
More than 50 combined tons of those drugs, as well as opium, ketamine, marijuana and crystal meth – estimated to be worth $600 million – were set ablaze in the southeast Asian country to mark the United Nations’ International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, according to The Associated Press.
This year, the street value of drugs destroyed was more than double last year’s total, said Police Lt. Col. Aung Myat Soe of Yangon’s Anti-Narcotics Police Force. In Yangon alone, some $321 million worth of 31 different types of drugs were set ablaze, Aung Myat Soe added.
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Footage taken in Yangon showed a massive array of drugs engulfed in a raging inferno, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
Burma has been a major source of illegal drugs destined for East and Southeast Asia, despite repeated efforts to crack down, and has long been one of the world’s largest producers of heroin and methamphetamine.
Violent political unrest in Burma following the military takeover in 2021 — which has led into a civil war between the military government and its pro-democracy opponents, as well as ethnic armed groups — has caused an increase in drug production, experts told the AP.
In January, the military government claimed the country’s largest-ever seizures of illicit drugs and drug-manufacturing equipment, taken from a total of 12 drug production sites during a series of raids in the northern part of Shan state.
The U.N. says its June 26 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is “an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.”
“Supported each year by individuals, communities, and various organizations all over the world, this global observance aims to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society,” the U.N. added.
“Global drug use and the number of drugs on the market have been increasing in the past decades. The century-long dominance of heroin in illicit global opioid markets is increasingly being challenged by changes in the illegal supply of opioids,” it added. “Production, seizures and use of cocaine continue to rise, while low costs of manufacture and reduced risks of detection of synthetic drugs are contributing to their increase on illicit drug markets.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
$600 million worth of heroin, meth and other seized drugs set on fire in Burma 2026 IUSTITIA.BG – Investigations 2009-2026 2026-06-26 19:09:39 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
