MAE HONG SON, May 7, 2026 — The Karen National Union (KNU) has destroyed nearly 10 million methamphetamine pills seized along the Salween River, warning that more large shipments are likely to follow as trafficking networks expand across the Thai-Myanmar border.
The drugs — totalling 9.93 million pills — were incinerated on May 7 at Ta Kae Pu in Mutraw district, Karen State, opposite Salween National Park in Mae Sariang district of Mae Hong Son. The event was attended by KNU officials, local administrators, and Thai security representatives.
KNU officials said the drugs were produced in Myanmar’s Shan State, particularly in areas controlled by Kokang and Wa groups, and transported through Karen and Karenni states. The Salween River has increasingly been used as a key trafficking route to Myawaddy before being smuggled into Thailand.
Padoh Saw Kloe Htoo, secretary of Mutraw district, said the destruction followed the seizure of a major consignment earlier this year. Despite ongoing crackdowns, drug trafficking through Karen State has intensified in recent years, requiring closer coordination between Thai and Karen authorities.
“All these drugs are produced in Myanmar and pass through our territory. We do not have production or consumption here,” he said. “We are concerned about whether these drugs are being used to destabilise Karen communities, or even as a pretext for military operations under the guise of anti-drug campaigns.”
A senior KNU commander said drug flows had increased sharply since Myanmar’s 2021 coup, with trafficking networks using Karen State as a transit corridor.
“We have stepped up suppression efforts, but volumes continue to rise. All Karen armed groups must work together to eliminate drug trafficking from this area,” he said.
Captain Bugay, a KNU border liaison officer, said the seized consignment was intercepted on Feb 2 near Lekaw Tha along the Salween River. The pills were packed in oil containers, with 13–15 bundles per can, and three couriers from Karenni State were arrested.
“They told us the drugs came from production sites in Shan State,” he said.
He added that intelligence reports indicated another shipment of nine to 10 containers was being smuggled into the Karen-Thai border area, with drugs hidden in forested areas to evade detection.
“We are tightening patrols and working closely with Thai authorities to block these routes. We also ask local villagers to report any suspicious activity,” he said.
Pongpipat Meebenjamas, chief executive of the Mae Sam Laep Subdistrict Administrative Organisation said Mae Sam Laep, located along a designated border trade zone, remains a high-risk area for drug trafficking due to its position along cross-border routes.
“This is another major seizure along the Salween corridor. While local authorities do not directly handle enforcement, we play a role in coordination and information-sharing with security agencies on both sides,” he said.
Thai security officials said trafficking networks are increasingly using the Salween and Moei rivers to move methamphetamine from northern Shan State production hubs, including Kokang and Wa areas, to Myawaddy before entering Thailand.
“Large seizures have been made at least twice, including six million pills in Nakhon Sawan and another in Karen State’s Brigade 7 area,” a Thai border security officer said.
He added that trafficking along this route has intensified over the past year, particularly after Kokang-linked groups were displaced and relocated to Myawaddy, altering smuggling patterns.
Authorities on both sides of the border have called for stronger cooperation to stem the growing flow of narcotics through the region, warning that trafficking networks are adapting quickly and expanding their operations.