Melbourne, Australia – Myanmar’s distant jungle hills could also be a world away from sun-soaked Australia, however the two international locations share an insidious bond – crystalline methamphetamine.
In any other case often called “ice” or “crystal meth”, crystalline methamphetamine is a extremely addictive substance which has permeated Australia’s suburbs.
The Australian Federal Police estimates about 70 % of the drug comes from northeastern Myanmar, close to the Golden Triangle, the place the nation borders Thailand and Laos, and is transported via Southeast Asia earlier than arriving in Australia by boat.
A latest Nationwide Drug Technique survey confirmed that one out of each 100 Australians over the age of 14 had used ice within the final 12 months, largely within the nation’s main cities.
The identical survey additionally indicated that about 7.5 % of Australia’s inhabitants had tried methamphetamine throughout their lifetime.
Charlie Samson, who lives in Australia’s second-biggest metropolis, Melbourne, first smoked ice when he was simply 18. He quickly discovered himself addicted.
“We’d go out for drinks, and someone knew a bloke who had some ice. And so we all tried it,” he advised Al Jazeera.
“The next week, we did the same thing, and then it snowballed from there. Fast forward three or four months, I was secretly buying it on a Monday, because I’d been up all weekend.”
On the peak of his dependancy, he was spending 2,500 Australian {dollars} ($1,690) per week on the drug. Regardless of his behavior, Samson managed to take care of his well-paid building job with the overwhelming majority of his wage occurring the drug.
“Before I rolled out of bed, I used to have to smoke about a gramme just to be able to function,” he mentioned.
‘Smelled like tea’
Australia’s official well being campaigns usually declare ice customers to be “psychotic” and “violent”, underscoring the prevailing stereotype of the homeless “meth addict”.
Nevertheless, Samson advised Al Jazeera that ice dependancy may have an effect on anybody and that individuals may stay apparently functioning members of society even when addicted.
He mentioned he had seen legal professionals and businesspeople all fall prey to the drug.
“I’ve met a few people who I thought, ‘He’s got a family, he’s paying a mortgage. And now he’s got nothing.’ Because at some point, it gets a hold of you, even if it’s not financially, it’ll get you mentally,” he mentioned.
Samson, who’s now 29, managed to carry down his job for six years earlier than the dependancy utterly overran his life, and it was solely after a brief stint in jail that he managed to get clear.
Whereas Samson advised Al Jazeera he by no means knew the supply of the ice he purchased, he did recall batches that “smelled like tea”, indicative of methamphetamine originating from Myanmar, which is usually smuggled in tea containers.
The manufacturing of methamphetamine and heroin has elevated in Myanmar for the reason that 2021 navy coup plunged the nation into disaster and civil battle, with the United Nations Workplace on Medicine and Crime (UNODC) saying that seizures of methamphetamine hit a report 190 tonnes in 2023 throughout East and Southeast Asia.
The UNODC says that Myanmar has additionally emerged because the world’s main supply of opium.
Many of the drug manufacturing is centred within the northern hills of Shan and Wa states, areas which have lengthy been infamous for opium manufacturing and commerce.
However the civil battle has seen a spike within the drug commerce, together with heroin, methamphetamine and what is named yaba – small capsules containing a mixture of methamphetamine and caffeine – with the proceeds used to finance the battle.
The Australian Federal Police, which maintains ongoing operations within the area as a part of efforts to stem the circulation of medicine to Australia, advised Al Jazeera that “transnational crime is not only a result of, but a driver of the current conflict, as it is financing various actors in the conflict and, therefore, reducing the incentive to pursue a durable peace.”
“Like heroin historically, methamphetamine production remains a significant source of income to transnational crime groups in Myanmar,” a spokesperson mentioned. “Ongoing offshore seizures of drugs from Myanmar show this region remains a major source to the lucrative Australian market.”
Between 2012 and 2022, nearly 10 tonnes of ‘tea packet’ methamphetamine was seized by the Australian Federal Police. In 2022 alone, this included greater than 2.1 tonnes with a avenue worth of greater than 1 billion Australian {dollars} ($671.6 million).
‘Tea packet’ methamphetamine refers to methamphetamine manufactured in Southeast Asia and generally packaged in branded tea packets for concealment and advertising functions; totally different colors point out purity, with inexperienced being the very best.
Whereas the possible origin is Myanmar, the police advised Al Jazeera it was “difficult to put a percentage on the amount of methamphetamine originating from Myanmar, as it is transhipped through multiple countries, concealing the true source of the illicit drugs”.
More and more potent
Samson has remained clear since leaving jail in June 2023.
However many different Australians are unable to interrupt ice dependancy and wrestle even to take step one of in search of assist.
Turning Level is a Melbourne-based clinic whose companies embody help for these in search of assist for methamphetamine use, together with counselling and detox.
Medical Director Shalini Arunogiri echoes Samson’s observations that methamphetamine dependancy impacts a wide range of Australians.
“We see people who may fit that homeless stereotype,” she advised Al Jazeera. “But we absolutely do see people who are working full time. We see parents. We see people who are in high functioning jobs who might be using daily.”
She added that the stigma of methamphetamine dependancy is usually a barrier to these in search of assist.
“I think there is that real stereotype that has been portrayed in media, advertising and in public health campaigns. Those public health campaigns aren’t effective. In fact, they marginalise people who use that drug even more.”
Arunogiri says the purity of methamphetamine coming from high-volume commerce areas reminiscent of Myanmar has elevated over the past 20 years.
“The drug that we have available in Australia for the last decade is quite potent – we’ve got very high potency crystalline methamphetamine. Here, it’s virtually impossible to get non-crystalline methamphetamine.”
She advised Al Jazeera that the results of the drug will be seen throughout a spread of bodily, psychological and criminological indicators.
“One in three people who use at least every week are likely to experience psychotic symptoms – seeing things, hearing things. We know that a significant proportion go on to develop things like schizophrenia and long-term psychological illnesses. Using methamphetamine also often comes with criminal aspects as well.”
The Australian Institute of Well being and Wellbeing just lately reported that at the least 46 % of these getting into jail had used methamphetamine within the earlier 12 months.
John Coyne, Head of Strategic Policing and Regulation Enforcement on the Australian Strategic Coverage Institute, advised Al Jazeera that methamphetamine use in Australia “fuels a cycle of criminal activity that often leads to incarceration”.
He says this contains theft and theft to fund dependancy, in addition to violent behaviour, which will be triggered by the drug.
“Additionally, the illegal nature of meth means that possession and trafficking come with harsh penalties, further contributing to incarceration rates,” he mentioned.
Coyne says the continuing battle in Myanmar, together with endemic corruption and human rights abuses by the navy regime, creates severe challenges for Australian police in tackling the export of medicine from the area.
“While disrupting illicit drug routes is essential for regional security, engaging with a regime known for its oppressive tactics raises ethical and legal concerns,” he mentioned.
In accordance with the United Nations, the Myanmar navy has killed greater than 5,000 civilians for the reason that coup and has reinstated the loss of life penalty for political exercise, executing pro-democracy activists.
That the regime can also be allegedly instantly concerned within the drug commerce presents a myriad of operational and moral challenges for Australian regulation enforcement.
“The Australian Federal Police must navigate these complexities carefully, ensuring that intelligence-sharing is strictly focused on disrupting drug networks without inadvertently supporting a corrupt regime,” Coyne advised Al Jazeera.
“This delicate balance is crucial to uphold international norms and prevent complicity in the junta’s ongoing human rights violations.”
