Crime in Myanmar

{{short description|none}} {{EngvarB|date=November 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} {{update|date=April 2026}} Crime is present in various forms in Myanmar (also known as Burma) and is continuous with the activities of many drug trafficking financed militias at the eastern and western border regions, and with corruption within and challenges to the central government, particularly since the 2021 military coup.

== Crime by type == ===Murder=== {{See|List of countries by intentional homicide rate}}

In 2012, Burma had a murder rate of 15.2 per 100,000 population.<ref name=UNODC/> There were a total of 8,044 murders in Burma in 2012.<ref name=UNODC>[https://www.unodc.org/gsh/en/index.html ''Global Study on Homicide''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602171852/http://www.unodc.org/gsh/en/index.html |date=2 June 2019 }} United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2013.</ref> Factors influencing Burma's high murder rate include communal violence and armed conflict.<ref name="investvine">{{cite web|url=http://investvine.com/asean-as-safe-as-we-think/|title=ASEAN: As safe as we think?|first=Justin|last=Calderon|work=Inside Investor|date=3 July 2013|access-date=7 July 2013|archive-date=22 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190622190043/http://investvine.com/asean-as-safe-as-we-think/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Terrorism === {{See|Terrorism in Burma}}

Terrorism in Burma primarily consists of anti-government militant activity. Militant separatists in India, such as the United Liberation Front of Assam and the United National Liberation Front, have bases in Burma from which they launch attacks.<ref name=INDIA>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20070323-103215-4113r.htm India seen arming Burma to counter Chinese] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324223430/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/mar/23/20070323-103215-4113r/ |date=24 March 2023 }} The Washington Times</ref>

===Corruption=== {{main|Corruption in Burma}} Burma is perceived to be one of the world's most corrupt nations. The 2012 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index ranked the country at number 171, out of 176 countries in total.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.trust.org/item/?map=myanmar-still-near-bottom-of-corruption-rankings-in-2012-despite-reforms%2F |publisher=Thomson Reuters Foundation |title=Myanmar still near bottom of corruption rankings in 2012 despite reforms |date=5 December 2012 |access-date=14 June 2013 |archive-date=5 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105214224/http://www.trust.org/item/?map=myanmar-still-near-bottom-of-corruption-rankings-in-2012-despite-reforms%2F |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Burmese government has been making an effort to curb corruption in the country, these efforts have proven ineffective, as Myanmar remains 130 out of 180 in the CPI.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=Democratic Voice of Burma |title=Burma forms committee to tackle corruption |date=9 January 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.transparency.org/cpi2019|title=2019 Corruption Perceptions Index - Explore the results|date=24 January 2020 |access-date=24 March 2023|archive-date=27 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327160133/https://www.transparency.org/cpi2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Crime against foreigners in Burma=== Crime against foreigners in Burma, although low, is a growing issue; there have been instances of both petty and violent crime in the country.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=travel.state.gov |title=Burma (Myanmar) |url=https://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1077.html |access-date=14 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020073109/http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1077.html |archive-date=20 October 2013 }}</ref> Criminal activity will tend to reflect the activity of associated trafficking gangs in destination countries where present, and be localized to areas known to adventure tourists on the Banana Pancake Trail.

===Illegal logging=== {{excerpt|Deforestation in Myanmar|Illegal logging}}

=== Opium and methamphetamine production === {{See|Opium production in Burma}}

[[File:HeroinWorld-en.svg|thumb|450px|A world map of the world's primary opium or heroin producers. The Golden Triangle region, which Burma is part of, is pinpointed in this map.]] Burma is the world's second largest producer of opium after Afghanistan, producing some 25% of the world's opium, and forms part of the Golden Triangle. The opium industry was a monopoly during colonial times and has since been illegally operated by corrupt officials in the Burmese military and rebel fighters,<ref name="BBC12">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20150082|title=UN report: Opium cultivation rising in Burma|publisher=BBC|date=31 October 2012|access-date=10 June 2013|archive-date=15 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130715114536/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20150082|url-status=live}}</ref> primarily as the basis for heroin manufacture.

Burma is the largest producer of methamphetamine in the world, with the majority of ''Ya ba'' found in Thailand produced in Burma, particularly in the Golden Triangle and Northeastern Shan State, which borders Thailand, Laos and China.<ref name="thornton">{{cite news|url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/279434/myanmar-reforms-mask-meteoric-rise-in-drug-trade|title=Myanmar's rising drug trade|last=Thornton|first=Phil|date=12 February 2012|work=Bangkok Post|access-date=19 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202050240/http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/279434/myanmar-reforms-mask-meteoric-rise-in-drug-trade|archive-date=2 December 2024}}</ref> Burmese-produced ''ya ba'' is typically trafficked to Thailand via Laos, before being transported through the northeastern Thai region of Isan.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LG13Ae01.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715054055/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LG13Ae01.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=15 July 2010|title=Holes in Thailand's drug fences|last=McCartan|first=Brian|date=13 July 2010|work=Asia Times|access-date=19 February 2012}}</ref>

In 2010, Burma trafficked 1 billion tablets to neighbouring Thailand.<ref name="thornton"/> In 2009, Chinese authorities seized over 40 million tablets that had been illegally trafficked from Burma.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/MA04Ae01.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106034349/http://atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/MA04Ae01.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=6 January 2011|title=Myanmar's drug 'exports' to China test ties|last=Macan-Markar|first=Marwaan|date=4 January 2011|work=Asia Times|access-date=19 February 2012}}</ref> Ethnic militias and rebel groups (in particular the United Wa State Army) are responsible for much of this production; however, the Burmese military units are believed to be heavily involved in the trafficking of the drugs.<ref name="thornton"/>

The prominence of major drug traffickers have allowed them to penetrate other sectors of the Burmese economy, including the banking, airline, hotel and infrastructure industries.<ref>{{cite book|last=Chin|first=Ko-lin|title=The Golden Triangle: inside Southeast Asia's drug trade|publisher=Cornell University Press|year=2009|pages=239–240|isbn=978-0-8014-7521-4}}</ref> Their investment in infrastructure have allowed them to make more profits, facilitate drug trafficking and money laundering.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lyman|first=Michael D.|author2=Gary W. Potter|title=Drugs in Society: Causes, Concepts and Control|publisher=Elsevier|date=14 October 2010|isbn=978-1-4377-4450-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_2901437744506}}</ref>

===Pig Butchering=== {{Main|Pig butchering scam}}

===Prostitution=== {{See|Prostitution in Burma}}

Prostitution in Burma is against the law. Prostitution is a major social issue that particularly affects women and children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eap/119035.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226175640/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eap/119035.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 February 2009 |date=25 February 2009 |title=2008 Human Rights Report: Burma |publisher=U.S. Department of State }}</ref>

Burma is a major source of prostitutes (an estimate of 20,000–30,000) in Thailand, with the majority of women trafficked taken to Ranong, a location that borders Burma at its south, and Mae Sai, which is located at the eastern tip of Burma.<ref>{{cite book |last=Barry |first=Kathleen |title=The Prostitution of Sexuality |year=1995 |url=https://archive.org/details/prostitutionofse00barrrich |url-access=registration |publisher=NYU Press |isbn=0-8147-1277-0 }}</ref><ref name="BurmaSoros">{{cite web |url=http://www2.soros.org/burma/CRISIS/women.html |title=WOMEN |access-date=11 January 2007 |date=October 2005 |work=Burma: Country in Crisis |publisher=Soros |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070319092759/http://www2.soros.org/burma/CRISIS/women.html |archive-date=19 March 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Burmese sex workers also operate in Yunnan, China, particularly the border town of Ruili.<ref>{{cite news |author=Kyaw Zwa Moe |title=Yunnan's Sin City |url=http://irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=4333 |work=The Irrawaddy |date=2005 |access-date=2 July 2008 |archive-date=12 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012103233/http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=4333 |url-status=live }}</ref> The majority of Burmese prostitutes in Thailand are from ethnic minorities.<ref name="BurmaSoros"/>

60% of Burmese prostitutes are under 18 years of age.<ref name="uri">{{cite web |url=http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/burma.htm |title=Burma/Myanmar |access-date=11 January 2007 |last=Hughes |first=Donna M. |work=Factbook on Global Sexual Exploitation |publisher=University of Rhode Island |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070101013526/http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/burma.htm |archive-date=1 January 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Burma is also a source country of sex workers and forced laborers in China, Bangladesh, Taiwan, India, Malaysia, Korea, Macau, and Japan.<ref name="USstate">{{cite web |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2005/46613.htm |title=V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G |access-date=11 January 2007 |work=Trafficking in Persons Report |archive-date=10 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810184232/https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2005/46613.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Internal trafficking of women for the purpose of prostitution occurs from rural villages to urban centres, military camps, border towns, and fishing villages.<ref name="USstate"/>

Women are often lured into prostitution with the promise of legitimate jobs, substantially higher pay, and because their low educational levels makes it difficult for them to find jobs elsewhere. In many instances, such women come from remote regions.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chelala |first=Cesar |url=http://www.burmadebate.org/archives/spring98health.html |title=Women, prostitution, and AIDS |access-date=11 January 2007 |work=THE STATE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S HEALTH |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070328201724/http://www.burmadebate.org/archives/spring98health.html |archive-date=28 March 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In addition to crimes associated with prostitution, the trafficking of women, largely to China, for forced marriage remains a problem in Burma.<ref>{{cite web|title=humantrafficking.org|url=http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/burma|access-date=1 February 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121091651/http://humantrafficking.org/countries/burma|archive-date=21 January 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Lack of local brides due to China's long standing One Child Policy is believed to fuel this trade.<ref>{{cite news|date=12 December 2012|publisher=The Irrawaddy|title=Websites Sell Burmese Brides to Chinese Bachelors|url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/21088|access-date=1 February 2016|archive-date=24 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130924095056/http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/21088|url-status=live}}</ref>

===War crimes=== {{See|Human rights in Burma|War crimes in the Myanmar civil war (2021–present)}}

The United Nations Human Rights Council has requested an investigation into potential human rights violations, or war crimes, in the country.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/11/un-calls-war-crime-investigation-burma |newspaper=Guardian |title=UN calls for war crimes investigation in Burma |date=11 March 2010 |last=Tisdall |first=Simon |access-date=17 December 2016 |archive-date=14 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714153707/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/11/un-calls-war-crime-investigation-burma |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2023, Amnesty International called for an investigation of ongoing war crimes in Myanmar, following the 2021 coup d'état.<ref>{{cite news |title=Myanmar: Military should be investigated for war crimes in response to 'Operation 1027' |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/12/myanmar-military-should-be-investigated-for-war-crimes-in-response-to-operation-1027/ |publisher=Amnesty International |date=21 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203212613/https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/12/myanmar-military-should-be-investigated-for-war-crimes-in-response-to-operation-1027/|archive-date=3 February 2024}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crime in Burma}} Category:Crime in Myanmar