Bangkok, Thailand – March 2019: On 11 March 2019, the UNODC SMART Programme launched the report “Synthetic Drugs in East and South-East Asia – Trends and Patterns of Amphetamine-type Stimulants and New Psychoactive Substances” in Bangkok, Thailand. This report provides an overview of the major trends and features of the synthetic drugs market in East- and South-East Asia.
According to the findings of this report, the strong shift in the drug market in East and South-East Asia, from opiates to methamphetamine since the late 2000s prevails. Increased quantities of methamphetamine seized and decreases in retail prices of the drug in East and South-East Asia suggest that the supply of methamphetamine has expanded. Moreover, transnational organized crime groups operating in the region have been increasingly involved in the manufacture and trafficking of methamphetamine and other drugs in the Golden Triangle. “Ecstasy” containing substances other than MDMA, including NPS, potent synthetic opioids (e.g. fentanyl) and ketamine continue to be found in the region.
For more information, please see:
Synthetic Drugs in East and South-East Asia – Trends and Patterns of Amphetamine-type Stimulants and New Psychoactive Substances
UNODC Webstory: Record levels of synthetic drugs seized as prices drop across South-East Asia