Key facts
- Methamphetamine seizures in East and Southeast Asia reached 349 tonnes in 2025, up 48% from 2024.
- Ketamine seizures increased 185% to 52.5 tonnes in 2025.
- Myanmar is the primary production hub for methamphetamine in the region.
- Street prices for methamphetamine have fallen significantly across Southeast Asia.
- Opium poppy cultivation in Myanmar has increased by 17% in the past year.
Seizures of methamphetamine and ketamine have reached record highs across East and Southeast Asia, driven by booming production in Myanmar, according to a new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Despite a 48% increase in meth seizures to 349 tonnes in 2025 and a 185% surge in ketamine seizures to 52.5 tonnes, prices for these drugs continue to fall, indicating that supply is outpacing enforcement efforts. Myanmar's Shan State, an area with weak state authority and the presence of organized crime, is identified as the primary production hub. The ongoing civil war in Myanmar has further exacerbated the situation by disrupting the economy and providing funding for armed groups involved in illicit activities. Experts suggest that current law enforcement actions are insufficient to curb the expanding synthetic drug market, which is also seeing growth in advanced economies like Japan and South Korea.