Introduction:
Southeast Asia drug war: Due to globalization and information technology, the wheel of success is now more dynamic, but various problems are hindering the speed of civilization. One of these problems is the drug trade. The drug trade has spread all over the world today.
The drug problem is a terrible curse for the world’s humanity. This drug trade and its consumption have no specific place. Drug addiction is destroying the present and future of the entire world.
As a result of drug consumption, people are harmed in various ways. Significant among these are physical, mental, and behavioral losses of people. As a result, people’s social status and social security are disturbed due to the use of drugs and illegal trade, the world today is plagued with social unrest and lawlessness.
Social crime is on the rise due to drug abuse and illegal trade. According to a report by the United Nations, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan are the centers of the world’s 20 main drug-trafficking or illegal drug-producing countries.
Drug Trade in South Asia:
South Asia has more drug trafficking than any other region in the world. Around the world, heroin and opium are produced to the tune of about 10 billion US dollars a year, and wholesale sales amount to about 60 billion US dollars. The total annual sales of manufactured and wholesale heroin and opium is approximately $65 billion. Which is more than the total income of many countries. Opium is produced in different regions of the world but three regions produce the most opium.
a. Southeast Asia
b. Southwest Asia
c. Latin America.
Opium is grown the most in Southeast Asia. Especially Afghanistan is the main country of opium production in Southeast Asian countries. Opium is bought and sold in Asia. Even opium is illegally produced and trafficked from Asia. This is because opium has an ancient tradition in Asia. Southeast Asian countries are more interested in heroin consumption. They buy about 18 metric tons of heroin a year.
In recent times, a strong cycle of heroin trade has developed in South Asia. As a result, the use of heroin is continuously increasing here. Asian powers control the opium and heroin markets and siphon off billions of dollars. Destroying youth society. Within Asia countries like India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan control the opium market. Also known as the ‘Golden Triangle’ three countries are Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. They are given this title because of the heroin trade.
Opium production in Myanmar:
Myanmar is one of the strongest opium-producing countries in South Asia. Myanmar is the main supplier of opium from Southeast and East Asia. Laos also supplies some opium. These two countries earn a lot of dollars annually from the production and supply of opium.
A study found that almost all opium imported into South Asian countries came from Myanmar and Laos. Myanmar produced 40 metric tons of heroin in 2008. About 40 metric tons of heroin produced in Myanmar go to markets like China. The remaining 4th goes to Southeast Asian countries.
Heroin traders in Myanmar compete to produce heroin. Two decades ago, in the 1970s and 1980s, Myanmar was the world’s leading opium producer. Opium was smuggled from Myanmar to many countries.
As a result, Myanmar gained notoriety as an opium-producing country on the one hand and the other hand increased the rate of opium production. Opium from Myanmar and Laos reaches Hong Kong and Taiwan by sea. Here opium is converted into heroin. From Hong Kong and Taiwan, this converted heroin goes to the United States, the largest country.
Even opium produced in Myanmar is smuggled to China and converted from opium to heroin there. Many people in China consume opium and heroin. There are about 300 million heroin addicts in China.
In 2008, about 45 metric tons of heroin entered the Chinese market. China’s heroin comes from Myanmar and Laos. Heroin has now entered all Asian countries. Even in Malaysia and Singapore, despite strict anti-drug laws, drugs are flowing in freely.
Golden Crescent:
Pakistan is one of the leading opium-producing countries. A large amount of opium is grown in the soil of Pakistan. Pakistan smuggles 11 metric tons of heroin every year to the UAE alone. Pakistan sends about 25 metric tons of heroin to other Asian countries. Apart from opium production in Pakistan, opium enters Pakistan from foreign countries. According to a survey, 80 metric tons of opium is imported into Pakistan.
Demand for opium production in Iran is increasing. Iran is one of the member countries of the Golden Crescent. Iranian people import drugs from Afghanistan for drug consumption. Iran buys about 450 metric tons of opium annually. Heroin is smuggled from Iran to different countries.
Large markets such as Türkiye, European countries, and the US are controlled by Iranian drugs. The report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in 2010 stated that the Balkan route is one of the routes of drug trafficking. Which is used as one of the transits for heroin trafficking.
At present, drug trade and drug consumption are increasing many times between European countries, as a result of which drugs are being smuggled from the Golden Crescent countries to Russia. Drugs in this region come mainly from Afghanistan. Drug production is very low in European countries. As a result, they have to rely on drug imports to meet the shortage of drugs.
European countries import about 90% of drugs from Afghanistan. Among the European countries, Britain, Germany, France, and Italy are at the top in terms of drug consumption. Russia is a big drug market. Myanmar supplies drugs to Russia. Every year Russia buys 58 metric tons of opium and 70 metric tons of heroin. Kazakhstan is used as a transit point for heroin purchases from Russia.
Australia and New Zealand purchase about 1.8 metric tons of heroin annually. Most of them come from Afghanistan. The number of drug users in Austria and New Zealand continues to rise. As a result, their demand for drugs is increasing.
According to a report from the United Nations, in 2010, opium was cultivated in about 2 thousand hectares of land in India. In 2008, the total opium entered India was 17 metric tons. Currently, the number of opium and drug users has increased in India. As a result, their drug market is also increasing.
This report also said that the amount of opium purchased in Nepal India and Bangladesh is increasing day by day. This report also says that about 25 metric tons of heroin is needed for 1.2 million people in Africa.
This heroin market is occupied by heroin from Afghanistan, which is smuggled to different countries of the world. Pakistan smuggles about 20 metric tons of heroin into Africa.
The United Nations International Narcotics Control Board has mentioned in a report that the number of current heroin users in Bangladesh is about 1 lakh. Bangladesh is used as an important transit route for smuggling heroin from Southeast Asia to Europe.
The report also mentions that narcotics arrive in Bangladesh via courier services from Pakistan, via motor vehicles and trains from India, and via public transport
from Myanmar. It has also been said that most of the drugs from Bangladesh are smuggled to other countries through Chittagong port.
Besides, courier services in Bangladesh are involved in heroin trafficking. Opium production in the border regions of Nepal, Bangladesh, and India is very low but the region’s market is heated by opium producers from Myanmar and Afghanistan.
Bangladesh is a transit point for heroin smuggling. The mountainous region of Bangladesh is a haven for heroin trafficking. They use the territory of Bangladesh as it is safe to smuggle drugs through Bangladesh.
On the other hand, India and Myanmar are a bit risky, so international drug traffickers and mafia groups avoid those countries. Bangladesh has been chosen as an alternative drug route.
Chemicals have recently been mixed with heroin as raw materials in Afghanistan. A recent report says these chemicals are being smuggled in new ways. West Asia and Africa are being adopted as new routes for smuggling.
Afghanistan is currently the largest poppy producer in the world. They are supplying poppies all over the world. Poppy cultivation and opium production are re-mixed with chemicals so that opium and poppies do not lose their potency too quickly. Because of this, the United States and the international community now consider drug addiction a big challenge.
Drug control:
Drug trade and production in Afghanistan have grown enormously. It is not easy to control. Previously, US President Bush ordered the seizure of smuggling ships to stop drug production. But the results were almost zero. The current US President Obama administration has changed its approach to Afghanistan in the field of drug production. He said whether or not poppy can be replaced by other crops should be considered.
As a result, poppy farmers will get the opportunity and support to grow other cash crops. One of the routes of poppy and opium smuggling to different countries is the territory of Afghanistan. Most of the opium produced in the world is produced in Afghanistan. Last year, 80 to 90 percent of the world’s total opium production was produced in Afghanistan. The value of which was around 280 to 290 million US dollars. One of Afghanistan’s main sources of income is poppy production.
Conclusion:
Human consumption of drugs does not bring any good results. Drug use, production and sale, etc., is rolled out from a human perspective, but today it is spreading all over the world. Drug control is a challenge to the conscience of the world. Millions of people around the world are affected by drug abuse. Many people have become ill as a result of consuming it. Various types of crimes are being born, mafia circles are being formed. Drug activity is growing exponentially internationally due to international contacts. Drug control is a big challenge today. To control drugs, strong preventive and strict measures should be taken at the social, state, and international levels.