The Golden Triangle has seen an unprecedented rise in synthetic drug manufacturing and trafficking. This has reshaped the region, affecting many countries around it. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports a 24% increase in meth seizures from 2023 to 236 tons in 2025.
Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC’s Acting Regional Representative, warned much more methamphetamine likely reaches the market undetected due to the complex routes in the Golden Triangle.
SHAN STATE EMERGES AS METH EPICENTER
Shan State in Myanmar leads the surge in meth production since 2021, a key player in the Golden Triangle region. The ongoing crisis fuels demand for drug profits, while relative stability enables large-scale operations to expand.
This dangerous mix of conflict and calm has allowed drug labs to thrive, impacting the entire region.
THAILAND: MAIN TRAFFICKING ROUTE AND MARKET
Thailand remains the key transit hub and consumer for meth trafficked from Myanmar, a critical passageway in the Golden Triangle. Authorities seized one billion yaba tablets — a meth-caffeine combo widely used due to affordability and availability.
New trafficking corridors through Cambodia and Laos are growing rapidly, complicating interdiction efforts.
EXPANDING MARITIME ROUTES ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA
Drug networks increasingly use maritime routes linking Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Sabah, Malaysia has become a major transit point for synthetic drugs moving by sea.
These evolving routes help traffickers evade traditional land border controls and law enforcement scrutiny.
DRUG SYNDICATES SHOW HIGH ADAPTABILITY
Traffickers are agile, shifting production and smuggling methods to counter law enforcement pressure.
Ketamine production sites and precursor chemical labs are spreading across Mekong countries.
Vietnam recently busted a large ketamine factory in March 2025, highlighting growing synthetic drug threats emerging from the Golden Triangle.
RISE OF ILLICIT PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING
UNODC notes an increase in illicit production of pharmaceuticals such as etomidate and analogues. These substances are designed to bypass regulation and enter the illicit market unnoticed.
Technology plays a major role in planning, coordinating, and laundering money connected to drug trafficking.
SHIFTING PATTERNS IN DRUG USE AND PREVENTION
golden-triangle-methamphetamine-trafficking-unodc-report-2025While synthetic drug availability rises, some countries report fewer young drug users entering treatment.
This drop may reflect successful prevention programs targeting youth populations.
Still, experts warn that supply reduction and prevention must both be urgently scaled up to address crises emanating from the Golden Triangle.
URGENT CALL FOR REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ACTION
UNODC’s report reveals a growing, sophisticated synthetic drug trade challenging Asia’s security and health. Comprehensive regional cooperation and stronger enforcement are critical to disrupting trafficking networks.
Investing in prevention, treatment, and cross-border coordination remains vital to contain this crisis.
