On 19 September 2025 at the headquarters of the 7th Light Infantry Division opposite Tha Song Yang, Tak Province, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) of the Karen National Union (KNU) held a ceremony to destroy illegal drugs by burning 6,117,900 methamphetamine pills. The event was presided over by the commander of the 7th LIDivision, the KNU district governor of Pa-an. Representatives of Thai security agencies, as well as Thai–Karen media — attended as witnesses.
Aung Mong Ae, Pa-an district governor, reported that the KNU opposes illegal activities, particularly drugs, which have expanded outwards from central Myanmar. The KNU has long been suppressing and seizing shipments, usually in smaller amounts of 100–200 pills. In April 2025, however, they seized a large consignment of 5.99 million pills, and previously another shipment of 120,000 pills. There had been suspicion that the KNU might have been reselling seized drugs, so today they burned the entire stock to remove any doubt and to allow all parties to verify the destruction.
“The large shipment of 5.99 million pills was floated down the Salween River from the Karenni border area, reportedly declared as a delivery of gunpowder. But when we checked at the origin, there was no record of gunpowder shipments. On inspection, it turned out to be methamphetamine — the largest lot we have ever seized. The transporters said they did not know about the drugs. I believe if this shipment had slipped through, it would have devastated many Karen youths and also entered Thailand,” Aung Mong Ae said.
Police Lt. Col. Maung Ji, chief of Pa-an district police, said that while they have made drug seizures before, they have never confiscated such a large quantity. After legal proceedings were completed, the drugs — totaling 6,117,900 pills — were incinerated.
Reporters observed that, prior to the burn, KNLA soldiers opened packages of the meth for media and security representatives to inspect. Notably, some packages bore the mark “WY” and some packaging had a gold sticker with Thai script reading “37 Company Limited”; other packages also had Chinese and English characters.
Lt. Col. Maung Ji added that the KNU actually knows the production origins of many of these drugs, but what can be done now is to coordinate with Thai authorities to exchange information and intercept shipments. He noted that most drugs originate from central Myanmar; because fierce fighting in inner areas has intensified, traffickers have attempted to reroute shipments along border corridors instead.
When asked whether the drug surge is being driven by groups producing drugs to raise funds for arms purchases for fighting, the Pa-an police chief said that while some armed groups might do so, the KNU does not. He emphasized that drug producers are primarily motivated by profit rather than by military aims.
This is a translation of original Thai article https://transbordernews.in.th/home/?p=43835
