Drug Prices Still Rising

Drug Prices Still Rising

Prices of drugs along the border are still on the rise, said a Lahu visitor to S.H.A.N. yesterday. 

Jahsu (not his real name), who just came from the border between Mongton of Shan State and Chiangmai of Thailand, told S.H.A.N., "The price of raw opium has gone up to B. 30,000 per viss now. And heroin is B. 30,000 per kilogram". 

This was confirmed by Maihoong who reported two weeks ago that raw opium from Mongpan was available at B. 24,000. "Last year, the heroin price here was only B. 220,000 per kilogram". 

He said, according to his sources, the rise in the prices did not have anything to do with "government crackdown". "Because there was no crackdown. It was, on the contrary, due to the severe weather that reduced the amount of sap from the poppy plants plus the resulting decreased availability". 

Related report: Prices of Opium Soaring, 5 January, S.H.A.N.