Story perspectives

Myanmar Burns $525 M of Seized Meth, Blames Rebels

6/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

Myanmar authorities burned seized narcotics worth $525 million in Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi, after which firefighters extinguished the blaze.
Methamphetamine, called “ice,” accounted for more than 28 tonnes of the drugs destroyed.
Home affairs minister Nyunt Win Swe blamed rebel factions for expanding the illicit drug trade and threatening national stability.
Analysts say the 2021 military takeover and ensuing civil war have enabled all sides to profit from the narcotics market.

History

Historical Context

Adopted by the United Nations in 1961, the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs merged League of Nations treaties and required parties to suppress illicit production, a duty reinforced by the 1972 amendment and the 1990 Convention Against Illicit Traffic. In 2024 Myanmar’s Home Affairs Minister Nyunt Win Swe ordered the destruction of methamphetamine worth $525 million, showing the convention’s lasting impact amid civil war.

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Story summary

Myanmar authorities burned seized narcotics worth $525 million in Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi, after which firefighters extinguished the blaze.
Methamphetamine, called “ice,” accounted for more than 28 tonnes of the drugs destroyed.
Home affairs minister Nyunt Win Swe blamed rebel factions for expanding the illicit drug trade and threatening national stability.
Analysts say the 2021 military takeover and ensuing civil war have enabled all sides to profit from the narcotics market.

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