Despite the growing drug trade in Ye Township, Mon State, armed groups’ influence has made it impossible to prosecute drug traffickers, according to local community leaders actively addressing village issues.
While individual drug users and small-scale traffickers are occasionally apprehended, no action can be taken against large-scale drug dealers due to their connections with armed groups.
“These drug dealers operate under protection. If someone takes action against them, their backers intervene, threatening and intimidating. They warn people against acting again, leaving no one willing to step up,” explained a local resident working on community welfare.
It is reported that the drug trade is linked not only to armed groups but also to some resistance organizations, with drugs being sold freely at competitive prices without restrictions.
The widespread availability of drugs has led to increased drug use, not just among men but also among women.
A representative from the Mon Anti-Drug Policy Group stated that “women are increasingly using methamphetamine pills (WY). Recently, with the worsening political situation, drugs are now more commonly used in bars and clubs in Mawlamyine. Women have been drawn into this as well, and drug use has not declined.”
The military council has reportedly failed to implement effective measures to address the widespread drug trade and consumption in the region.
Locals have been left to tackle the drug issue independently, using their own resources and strategies.
Mon communities are urging armed groups and resistance organizations to refrain from enabling the drug trade and to cooperate in finding a solution to this shared crisis.
Additionally, reports from the Thai-Myanmar border town of Three Pagodas Pass indicate that some local businesspeople and armed groups are collaborating in transporting drugs, including heroin, according to local sources.
